IN BRIEF (Page 22)
Snooker
China gets second ranking event in Shanghai
China's Ding Junhui will be able to play two ranking events on home soil next season after yesterday's announcement that the inaugural Shanghai Masters will take place in August.
The new tournament, which is likely to feature Ding and all of the world's top 16 players, will kick off the 2007-2008 season at the 8,000-seater Shanghai Grand Stage in China's commercial capital from August 6 to 12, a World Snooker statement said.
China has become the main focus of snooker's attempts to break out of its British heartland and the statement said both the new tournament and the existing China Open in Beijing were guaranteed for the next five years.
"This completes the first stage of World Snooker's development plan which provides an excellent platform for us to move forward and exploit other opportunities," said Simon Leach, the organisation's representative in Beijing.
Ding, the first Chinese player to qualify for last month's world championship, has been widely tipped as a future champion.
Miscellaneous
Yao launches his own fitness club in Beijing
Houston Rockets star Yao Ming started his own fitness club "Califoniafitness Yao Ming Gym" in Beijing last month.
As a branch of the Califoniafitness of the United States, the gym locates in Chaoyang District with a full range of equipments including a three-on-three basketball court.
"I hope to encourage people to take up some sports by investing in this gym," said Yao.
The Rockets lost to Utah Jazz at the National Basketball Association Playoffs first round last week. The 2.26-meter All-Star will return to China in late June for the warm-up matches with China's national team.
Local stars join in hands with sport drink brand
World No 1 badminton player Lin Dan of China and fellow women's top ranked table tennis player Zhang Yining, joined NBA superstars Dwyane Wade, Kevin Garnett, Vince Carter and Michael Jordan after being sponsored by Gatorade, a leading sports drink brand under Pepsi.
While the China women's field hockey team, who is aiming to stand on top of the podium at the Beijing Olympic Games also gets support from the company.
Meanwhile, the 2007 Gatorade 3-on-3 Basketball Challenge is in full swimming in 13 competition zones in China. As an extra incentive to win, the national champions will be given the chance to fly to the USA to watch their favorite NBA teams play.
To help Chinese athletes improve their performance through sports science research and to promote China's national fitness program through sports science and knowledge, Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI), the world's leading sports science research center, has also opened its first overseas institute in China.
(China Daily 05/23/2007 page22)
