LANZHOU, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- Former Chinese basketball internationals have thrown their weight behind the country's youth events in a bid to develop young talent.
Zheng Haixia, the silver medalist of the women's basketball team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, and three former flag bearers at the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics, Wang Libin, Song Ligang, and Liu Yudong, recently all showed up in a youth basketball invitation tournament in Jingtai County, Baiyin City in northwest China's Gansu Province.
"Teenagers can not only exercise their willpower in sports but also enhance their sense of honor and team spirit," Wang Libin said.
Zheng Haixia said that both inside and outside the basketball courts, she has felt the love of local teenagers for basketball, as well as the enthusiasm of audiences of all ages.
"All young people, including players and audiences who have participated in the event, laughed brightly," said Zheng, who stated that she also enjoyed the nice basketball atmosphere.
Zhao Yanpei who played as a shooting guard in the event, just finished his college entrance examination this June and will start his college career in sports training at Northwest Normal University.
"It feels so good to play basketball under the gaze of so many Chinese basketball legends," said Zhao, who added that his teammates and he all felt honored to receive guidance from former stars and wished to improve their skills continuously. ■
