BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Here are the latest Chinese sports headlines from the past week:
1. China's 14th National Winter Games closes
China's 14th National Winter Games, the premier winter sports event following Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, closed in Hulun Buir, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on February 27.
Over 3,000 athletes from 35 delegations across the nation competed in 176 events, and 30 delegations tallied medals.
The next Games will be held in northeast China's Liaoning Province in 2028.
2. China defends men's and women's titles at table tennis team worlds
China, represented by the trio of Fan Zhendong, Wang Chuqin and Ma Long, cruised past France 3-0 to claim its 11th consecutive men's title at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals in Busan, South Korea on February 25, one day after China's women's team staged a hard-fought 3-2 comeback victory over Japan for its record-extending 23rd title.
After winning his ninth team gold at the worlds, Ma, three-time winner in the singles event of the tournament, announced that it would be his last World Championships.
3. Competition schedule confirmed for 2025 Asian Winter Games
The 2025 Asian Winter Games will take place in Harbin, the capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province from February 7 to 14, according to the competition schedule unveiled by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) on February 27.
The Games will feature six sports, 11 disciplines and 64 events, with the men's and women's ice hockey and curling competitions to start on February 5, two days ahead of the opening ceremony.
4. Beijing to host 2027 Athletics Worlds
Beijing will host the 2027 World Athletics Championships, World Athletics announced on February 28.
This marks the return of the Athletics Worlds to the Chinese capital 12 years after it was staged in the National Stadium, known as the "Bird's Nest", in 2015.
China will also host next year's World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing.
5. 2024 Chinese Super League season kicks off
The 2024 Chinese Super League (CSL) season kicked off on March 1 as star forward Wu Lei scored a brace to spur defending champion Shanghai Port past Wuhan Three Towns 3-1 in the opening match.
A total of 16 teams compete in the new CSL season, which will conclude on November 2.
On February 26, Wu was named 2023 Chinese Men's Footballer of the Year, the fourth time for him to clinch the annual award. ■
