IN BRIEF (Page 23)

OLYMPICS

Games anchors chosen

The anchormen and women who will chair the live Beijing Olympic Games programs will be unveiled tonight at 6:35pm on CCTV-5, in a 100-day Olympic countdown program.

The list includes Song Shixiong, who became a household name after reporting on the winning Chinese women's volleyball team in the 1980s and 1990s.

Special guests include a group of former Olympic and world champions, such as ping-pong champion Wang Tao, swimmer Qian Hong, gymnastics champion Ma Yanhong, diving champion Li Na, and badminton champion Zhao Jianhua.

The list was made after 29 Who Will Anchor the Beijing Olympics? programs were screened, starting last December, featuring sports commentators and guests from around the nation's 30 TV stations.

Tibet team sponsored

Sportswear giant Kappa has signed up with the Tibet Mountaineering Team as part of its efforts to encourage China's best mountaineers to take the 2008 Beijing Olympics torch to the peak of Mount Qomolangma.

Kappa will be the exclusive sportswear provider for the team during the torch relay and also hopes the cooperative effort will encourage more people to support mountaineering in China.

From 1993-2007, the Tibet Mountaineering Team conquered 14 mountains that are more than 8,000 m above sea level, a feat no other team has achieved.

"2008 is a special year for us, and it will be a great honor to relay the torch to the peak of Mount Qomolangma," said team captain Samzhub.

Movies stars join relay

A number of movie stars have organized a "2008 Columbia Mountaineering Team" in Beijing and are set to climb to the training base of Mount Qomolangma, where professional mountaineers are preparing for the 2008 Beijing Olympics torch to scale the peak.

Sponsored by sportswear company Columbia, the team has started training for the coming challenge in the outskirts of Beijing and plans to reach its destination before the pro mountaineers start the torch relay.

Also joined by former Olympic shooting champion Zhang Shan and diving champion Li Na, the squad will give their blessings to the torch relay heroes and stage entertaining performances for them.

TENNIS

Foundation established in Beijing

Chinese Tennis Foundation, the biggest in the country's history, was jointly launched by the Chinese Tennis Association (CTA) and sponsor TCL.

Costing 5 million yuan, the foundation aims to provide better opportunities for kids and junior players around the country. TCL will help local tennis authorities improve training facilities, organize coaching clinics and promote the sport at all levels.

"The foundation is tennis' Project Hope. It will play a key role in the sport's grassroots development," said Sun Jinfang, CTA chief.

TCL is the official body of the Chinese women's tennis team.

(China Daily 04/30/2008 page23)