BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Here are the latest Chinese sports headlines from the past week:
1. Torch relay for 19th Asian Games begins in Hangzhou
Olympic champion swimmer Luo Xuejuan runs during the torch relay of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province on Sept. 8, 2023. (Xinhua/Sun Fei)
The torch relay for the 19th Asian Games officially started near the iconic West Lake in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province on September 8, marking a 15-day countdown to the event.
The flame is set to be relayed through 11 cities in Zhejiang Province, namely Huzhou, Jiaxing, Shaoxing, Ningbo, Zhoushan, Taizhou, Wenzhou, Lishui, Jinhua and Quzhou, before returning to Hangzhou on September 20 to complete its final leg. More than 2,000 torchbearers will participate in the relay, ranging in age from 14 to 84.
2. Main Media Center of Hangzhou Asian Games starts trial operation
Photo taken on Sept. 1, 2023 shows the Main Press Center (MPC) for the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou. (Xinhua/Xu Yu)
With around two weeks before the 19th Asian Games open in Hangzhou, the Main Media Center (MMC) was put into trial operation on September 9.
Located near the main stadium of the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center, where the Games' opening ceremony will take place, the MMC includes the Main Press Center (MPC) and International Broadcasting Center (IBC).
The MMC will officially open on September 18, according to the organizing committee.
3. China on track to sweeping titles at Asian Table Tennis Championships
Fan Zhendong of China hits a return during the men's team semifinal at the 26th ITTF-Asian Table Tennis Championships in PyeongChang, South Korea on Sept. 6, 2023. (Photo by James Lee/Xinhua)
China is right on track for a clean sweep of titles at the 2023 Asian Table Tennis Championships in PyeongChang, South Korea after securing gold medals in the mixed doubles, men's doubles, and women's singles on September 9.
Earlier, China had already won the women's and men's team titles in the tournament, which concludes on September 10.
Fan Zhendong, Liang Jingkun, and Ma Long have reached the men's singles final four, while Wang Manyu/Chen Meng and Sun Yingsha/Wang Yidi have progressed to the women's doubles semifinals.
4. Wang Shuang leads China's training roster for Hangzhou Asian Games
China's Wang Shuang (front L) celebrates scoring a penalty kick with her teammates during their Group D match against England at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Adelaide, Australia on Aug. 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Chen)
China's women's football team has announced a 23-player roster for the Hangzhou Asian Games and Olympic qualifying tournament.
Three overseas-based players including star forward Wang Shuang have been called up by head coach Shui Qingxia.
China will face Mongolia and Uzbekistan in Group A at the Asian Games on September 22 and 28, respectively.
5. Zheng Qinwen stopped in US Open quarterfinals
Zheng Qinwen of China hits a return during the women's singles quarterfinal against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the 2023 US Open in New York on Sept. 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)
China's rising star Zheng Qinwen was stopped in the US Open quarterfinals, losing to world number two Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 6-1, 6-4 on September 6.
Despite her loss, the 20-year-old has already made a breakthrough in her career by reaching the final eight of a Grand Slam event for the first time. ■
