IN BRIEF (Page 22)

BASKETBALL

Yi scores double-digits to lead Bucks past Jazz

Milwaukee Bucks rookie Yi Jianlian scored 12 points and had four rebounds in the team's 90-81 win over the Utah Jazz yesterday.

The NBA's No 6 overall pick found his range in his second NBA game, scoring 11 points in a four-minute span of the second quarter with a series of midrange shots.

"He did a nice job," said coach Larry Krystkowiak. "Our guys did a good job finding him. That's one of his strengths, his ability to hit open shots."

Yi was guarded for most of the second quarter by Kevin Lyde, an NBA Development League veteran. The Chinese big man showed his range by knocking down the first three-pointer of his career, and none of his four field goals came from inside 18 feet.

Michael Redd finished with 17 points in the Bucks' second victory in as many nights.

Motorsports

Cangnan to host national supercross championship

The 2007 China Supercross Championship, Shengyu Cup Wenzhou Cangnan stop, will be held from November 15 to 17 in Cangnan County of Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province.

The event, organized by the Federation of Automobile Sports of China, the Cangnan People's Government and sponsored by the Shengyu Textile Co Ltd, will attract about one hundred drivers from China's more than 20 racing clubs.

The China Supercross Championship is a category-A motorsport event in China. This year's four stops are in Tianjin, Fushun of Liaoning Province, Cangnan and Fuzhou of Fujian Province.

ATHLETICS

2007 Beijing International Marathon changes route

Due to a major national event at the Great Hall of the People and Tiananmen Square on October 21, the Chinese Athletic Association has decided to change this year's marathon starting point, as well as part of the race route.

Originally set to start at Tiananmen Square, the marathon will now start and finish at the National Olympic Sports Center. The new route will be set according to this change.

The new route not only passes by one of Beijing's most famous parks, the Yuan Dynasty Park (Yuan Da Du), but also passes by the National Stadium (better known as the "Bird's Nest"), the National Aquatics Center (also called the "Water Cube") and the Olympic Archery and Hockey venues.

Winter sports

100 days to go until National Winter Games

On the 100-day countdown to the opening of the 11th National Winter Games, organizers unveiled the games' emblem, song, mascot and slogan on Wednesday.

The 11th National Winter Games, which will feature 11 sports, will be held from January 18-28 in Qiqihar, a city in China's northeast Heilongjiang Province.

The emblem of the games is named "Cranes dancing for China", the song is titled "Ice and Snow 2008" and the mascot, a red-crowned crane, is called "Dan Dan". The slogan of the games is "Silver Winter Games, Golden Dreams".

Softball

China bows to Australia again

China's softball team lost to Australia again yesterday at the "Bank of China" International Softball Tournament, staying at third in the four-team tune-up event for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

The host team was defeated 2-1 by the Aussies but was still happy with the close game one day after suffering a humiliating 16-1 rout to Australia.

Chinese Taipei is even more miserable, losing to Canada 3-2 and China 9-1 yesterday. It has not notched a single win so far.

The Aussies kept their lead with four wins, followed by Canada (3-1) and China (2-3). Chinese Taipei placed last.

(China Daily 10/12/2007 page22)