BEIJING, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Here are the latest Chinese sports headlines from the past week:
1. China clinches inaugural ITTF Mixed Team World Cup
China sailed past South Korea 8-1 to complete an unbeaten run and win the first edition of the ITTF Mixed Team World Cup.
Running from December 4 to 10 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, the tournament featured a total of 18 teams. They were divided into four groups, with the winner and runner-up of each group advancing to the second stage.
The team with the best overall results after Stage 2 is crowned the champion. If the teams have faced each other in Stage 1, there will be no re-match, but instead the results from their encounter will be carried over to Stage 2.
2. Liu Shaoang wins men's 1,000m gold at ISU Short Track World Cup in Beijing
China's Olympic champion Liu Shaoang seized the spotlight at the ISU World Cup Short Track here on December 10 when he earned the host country the sole gold medal of the tournament with victory in the men's 1,000m event.
On the final day of the three-day competition, China also won four bronze medals to elevate its overall medal count to 10 (one gold, four silver and five bronze).
3. Gao Tingyu takes one gold, one silver at ISU Speed Skating World Cup
Olympic champion Gao Tingyu secured his second medal at the ISU Speed Skating World Cup in Tomaszow Mazowiecki, Poland, finishing second in the 500m race on December 10.
Gao, the Beijing 2022 gold medalist, aimed to maintain his winning form after clinching first place in the 500m race one day earlier. The 25-year-old showcased his prowess again in the same event, recording a time of 34.79 seconds to secure a silver medal. Laurent Dubreuil of Canada edged out Gao by a mere 0.06 seconds to take gold.
4. China announces 26-man roster for 2023 AFC Asian Cup
The Chinese men's football team unveiled a 26-player roster on December 12 for the upcoming 2023 Qatar AFC Asian Cup.
Head coach Aleksandar Jankovic has called up a full-strength team, including Wu Lei, Wu Xi and Wei Shihao, while naturalized forward Ai Kesen was not in the list.
According to the Chinese Football Association, Jankovic and his players will assemble on December 17 for a training camp in Shanghai.
China, who has been allocated into group A with host Qatar, Tajikistan and Lebanon, is set to play its opening match on January 13, 2024.
5. English Premier League lends training expertise to China's "Cun Chao"
The English Premier League launched the Premier Skills project in Rongjiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province on December 12, in an attempt to help train local football coaches in the birthplace of the Village Super League.
Organized and played by locals, the Village Super League, dubbed as "Cun Chao" by Chinese netizens, went viral during the past several months and miraculously attracted more than 50,000 spectators per game.
This is the Premier League's first collaboration effort with the Village Super League, after the two leagues signed a strategic cooperation agreement in September at the China International Fair for Trade in Services.
6. Hangzhou embraces global badminton, volleyball showpieces
The 2023 BWF World Tour Finals and the 2023 FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship kicked off in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province on December 13, with both tournaments running through December 17.
As the badminton's season-ending tournament, the BWF World Tour Finals features top eight players/pairs from this season in each of the five categories in the World Tour rankings. They are divided into two groups, and the top two players/pairs will advance to the semifinals.
The FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship features six top-level clubs in two pools. The competition returns to China after four years since Shaoxing, Zhejiang hosted the 2018 and 2019 editions.
Hangzhou, which hosted the 19th Asian Games from September 23 to October 8, is once again in limelight of world sports. ■
