IN BRIEF (Page 22)

Basketball

Yao opens gym, urges young to lift weights

China's hoop treasure Yao Ming has urged the country's players to do more weight training in the gym in a bid to physically catch up with international rivals.

The 27-year-old NBA All-star center opened his own gym - California Fitness Yao Ming Sport Club - in Beijing on Saturday.

"You have to do more weightlifting if you want to compete against those strong American or European players," Yao said.

"The gym training is hard but this is the only way to develop yourself physically against the big guys."

Weakness during body contact is a lingering problem for the Chinese national basketball team as it gears up for the Beijing Olympics.

Barely able to bench press 80 kilograms before the 2002 Draft, All-star center Yao, who spends three hours a day in the gym during the off-season, now benches more than 150 kg, which has helped him develop into one of the most aggressive centers in the league.

Tennis

Journalists take to tennis court for annual event

The Guanxing Cup 10th National Media Tennis Invitational Tournament will be held on November 8, China's Journalist's Day, in Fuzhou City of Fujian Province.

The event, organized by the Chinese Sports Daily, the National Media Tennis Society and sponsored by the Fujian Guanxing Real Estate Development Co, was inaugurated in 1998 and has grown into a traditional sports event among reporters.

Last year's event attracted about 150 participants from 109 news organizations.

Organizers expect to see a record number of participants this year.

The past nine versions were held in Beijing, Guangzhou, Kunming, Wuhan, Xi'an and Haining of Zhejiang Province.

Sports dance

Shenzhen to host national championships

The CNSN 17th National Sports Dance Championships will be held from November 9 to 11 at the Shenzhen Gymnasium.

The championship is the largest single sport event in China with more than 2,000 pairs expected to take part.

This year's event will feature 69 categories for professional, school and amateur participants.

Organized by the China Leisure Sports Administrative Center and the Chinese Dancesport Federation, athletes ranging in age from five to 65 will hit the floor.

Sports dance is an official medal sport at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou.

Organizers have invited seven-time Blackpool Professional Latin champions Bryan Watson and Carmen Vincelj of Germany and three-time Blackpool champion Alessandro Firmo of Italy to give a demonstration.

More than 30 million Chinese dance for exercise and there are more than 40 dance schools in China.

(China Daily 09/20/2007 page22)