IN BRIEF (Page 18)

Athletics

Coach: Liu will hold on to compete at 2012 Games

The head coach of 110m hurdles world champion Liu Xiang is confident the in-form hurdler will be able to keep fit and competitive until the 2012 London Olympic Games.

"Liu Xiang is now in very good form. We have no schedule for his retirement. It's very likely for him to compete in the 2012 Games," said Sun Haiping at the ongoing 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Sun said Liu, now 24, was stronger than in previous years and that the hurdler has spared no efforts in his preparations for the upcoming 2008 Beijing Olympics, but it was difficult to predict if Liu would break the record again.

"Sports is unpredictable - weather, wind velocity and an athlete's condition all contribute to the results, it's about strength and luck," he said.

Soccer

Women's soccer head coach might quit

China's women's soccer team's Swedish head coach Marika Domanski-Lyfors might not extend her contract with China Football Association (CFA) to manage the squad into the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The Oriental Sports Daily said CFA has set the deadline for today for the final decision from Domanski, who has postponed her answer after failing to lead the women's team into the semifinal of last month's FIFA Women's World Cup.

If Domanski fails to sign her contract extension today, CFA will be forced to kick off another round of coach-scouting, bad news for the women's soccer team as there are less than 300 days to go before the Beijing Games.

German coach Krautzun Eckhard would reportedly be an ideal replacement because of his experience as head coach of China's youth team and as technical advisor for the women's team.

Local coaches such as Ma Liangxing and Wang Haiming are also said to be among possible candidates to succeed the Swede. But chief officials still hope Domanski will change her mind.

China defeats ROK to place third at U-19 event

China managed to save some face by defeating the Republic of Korea 1-0 in the bronze medal playoff at the Asian U-19 Women's Soccer Championships yesterday in Chongqing, Sichuan Province.

A header from Ruan Xiaoqing in the second half helped to seal the victory for China, the defending champion and two-time world runner-up.

With the victory, China qualifies for the U-19 World Championships to be held in Chile next year.

China lost to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) 4-1 in the semis and failed to make it to the final as they did last year.

In last year's final, China overcame DPRK 1-0 to win its first title of the event.

(China Daily 10/17/2007 page18)