IN BRIEF (Page 22)
Cylcing
Bicycle event to follow Genghis Kahn footsteps
An international bicycle tournament will be held on the grasslands of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Friday.
The race, covering 140 km over three days, will cross the vast and desolate grasslands of Inner Mongolia, tracing the footprints of Genghis Khan, the head of the biggest empire in the history of the world.
The demanding route could be a severe test for the participants but also a wonderful experience as riders will experience all aspects of nomadic life and stay overnight in traditional Mongolian tents.
The first stage on Friday will go from Na Damu to Menggu Hancheng (50 km). The second stage on Saturday will start from Menggu Hancheng and arrive in a local Horde, a tent camp out in the middle of nowhere. On Sunday participants will leave the tent camp and race back to the final finish in Na Damu.
Athletics
National trak team signs strategic partner
Athletic team get IT support
The Chinese national athletic team got the strategic partner yesterday as it signed the contract with Lenovo, the first Chinese worldwide Olympic partner.
Under the contract, Lenovo will offer its high-tech products and financial support for the team, including China's biggest athletic star Liu Xiang.
Together with the team, Lenovo will set up a scientific training station, in which high-tech products will help to raise the training level of the team.
"The development of the Chinese track and field should have the support of sports science and technology," said Wang Dawei, vice-president of Chinese Athletics Association. "We hope the advance IT technology will help the team to get more scientific training."
Soccer
China edge Mexico 1-0 in warm-up game
Three years after China crashed out of the Athens Olympic Games in a group tie with Mexico, the "Steel Roses" got their revenge on home turf yesterday, taking a 1-0 win here in their second match of a four-nation event in front of over 47,000 enthusiastic home fans.
Han Duan, whose double helped the hosts smash Thailand 4-0 on Sunday in Qinhuangdao, scored the only goal for China. Veteran striker Zhang Ouying's had a chance to wrap things up seven minutes into the second half but she was denied by some last-ditch defending.
In 2004, Mexico drew with China 1-1 in the last and crucial group match to stop the 1999 World Cup runners-up from qualifying for the knockout stage of the Athens Olympic Games soccer tournament.
(China Daily 07/05/2007 page22)
