BEIJING, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Here are the latest Chinese sports headlines from the past week:
1. China's Kong wins women's freestyle aerials gold at FIS World Championships
Kong Fanyu competes in the women's freestyle aerials event at the 2022-2023 season FIS Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships in Bakuriani, Georgia, Feb. 24, 2023. (Xinhua)
China's Kong Fanyu won the women's freestyle aerials gold at the 2022-2023 season FIS Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships held in Bakuriani, Georgia on Thursday.
Kong finished first with 85.30 points while Australia's Danielle Scott took silver with 83.84 points. The bronze medal went to Ukraine's Anastasiya Novosad who got 82.84 points.
2. Jankovic appointed head coach of Chinese national football team
Aleksandar Jankovic (C), head coach of China's U23 football team, attends a training session prior to the 2022 EAFF (East Asian Football Federation) E-1 Football Championship match against South Korea at Toyota Stadium in Toyota City in Aichi prefecture, Japan, July 19, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
50-year-old Serbian Aleksandar Jankovic has been appointed as the head coach of China's men's national team, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) announced on Friday.
A former assistant manager of Serbia's under-21 team in the 2000s, Jankovic first joined China's U19 B team in September 2018 before taking charge of the reformed Chinese U23 squad in preparation for the postponed Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games.
According to the CFA, Jankovic's compatriot Dejan Djurdjevic will take over his position as the head coach of the Chinese men's football team for Hangzhou 2022.
3. China men's basketball team beats Kazakhstan on Djordjevic's debut
Zhou Qi (R) of China vies with Dmitriy Gavrilov of Kazakhstan during a Group F match of FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers in Hong Kong, China, Feb. 23, 2023. (Xinhua/Lo Ping Fai)
China beat Kazakhstan 71-59 in the sixth window of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian qualifiers in Hong Kong, China on Thursday.
This is the debut for coach Aleksandar Djordjevic, who was satisfied with a 43-22 first half but at the same time pointed out problems with free-throw percentage and three-point shots after the match.
China have picked up eight wins and two defeats after five windows and having already booked a place at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup co-hosted by Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines.
4. Olympic champ Ma, world No. 1 Sun win Chinese trial for table tennis worlds
Ma Long reacts during the men's singles final against Fan Zhendong at the national team's first trail for the World Table Tennis Championships in Beijing, Feb. 23, 2023. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang)
China's Olympic and world champion Ma Long and current women's singles world No. 1 Sun Yingsha won the national team's first trial on Thursday to secure their spots in the squad for the upcoming World Table Tennis Championships in Durban, South Africa.
The 34-year-old Ma swept top-ranked Fan Zhendong 3-0 for the title, while Sun, 22, beat Chen Xingtong 3-0 in the women's draw.
5. Xiamen claims China Badminton Super League title
Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong celebrate during the mixed doubles match against Ahsan/Liu Xuanxuan in the China Badminton Super League final in Lingshui, south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 21, 2023. (Xinhua)
Xiamen Tefang smashed Ruichang Biyuan 3-0 in the final to win the China Badminton Super League (CBSL) title in Lingshui, south China's Hainan Province on Tuesday.
Liu Yuchen and Ou Xuanyi claimed the first point for Xiamen in men's doubles, Weng Hongyang made it 2-0 in men's single and world champions Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong sealed the victory after an easy mixed doubles win.
6. Gu Ailing shortlisted for Laureus World Action Sportsperson of Year
Chinese athlete Gu Ailing kisses her medals after the awarding ceremony of freestyle skiing women's freeski halfpipe at Zhangjiakou Medals Plaza of the Winter Olympics in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 18, 2022. (Xinhua/Xue Yubin)
Olympic freeski champion Gu Ailing was nominated for the Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year award.
The six-candidate shortlist is headed up by Chloe Kim, a two-time winner in the category who won her second-straight halfpipe Olympic gold medal in Beijing.
Alpine skiing legend Mikaela Shiffrin is on a shortlist of six for the Sportswoman of the Year award, while 2022 FIFA World Cup winner Lionel Messi is in the running for the Sportsman of the Year. ■
