IN BRIEF (Page 22)
SOCCER
Argentine talent Messi to visit China
Spanish league giants Barcelona's Argentine talent Lionel Messi will come to China on July 21th for a busy two-day visit with a number of activities in four cities.
As part of the Pepsi Superstar China Tour, Messi's schedule includes various fan-oriented activities in Beijing, Jinan of Shandong Province, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
His individual visit has been cheered by Chinese fans as a compensation for his absence from Barcelona's China Tour early next month.
Heralded as Diego Maradona's successor, the young sensation boasts a large group of fans in the world's most populous nation.
The Messi-mania came to a new height early last month as he emulated Maradona by scoring a replica of his great compatriot's famous "hand of god" goal.
In April, Messi produced a carbon copy of the former Argentina captain's brilliant solo goal against England at the 1986 World Cup.
Picking the ball up from inside his own half on the right flank in a King's Cup tie against Getafe, he dribbled past two defenders, swerved past two more and rounded the keeper to score from a tight angle.
EQUESTRIAN
Dapusi hosts national barrel racing event
The Dapusi Banner National Barrel Racing Championships and the royal horse culture festival will be held in Dapusi Banner of Inner Mongolia from July 27 to 30.
The event, organized by the Chinese Equestrian Association, CCTV Sports Channel, Inner Mongolia Dapusi Banner People's Government and the Sports Promotion Corporation of China International Television, will feature team and individual competitions. To encourage mass participation, the organizers regulate that professional horse workers can only take part in the team event. The men's and women's individual events are only open to amateur riders.
Barrel Racing is a timed rodeo event that consists of horse and rider combining the horse's athletic ability and the rider's superb horsemanship skills in order to safely and successfully maneuver the horse around three 55 gallon closed end metal barrels placed in a cloverleaf pattern in the center of an arena at breakneck speed.
(China Daily 07/12/2007 page22)
