Star duo leads nominees for new honors

World record holder Liu Zige and world champion Zhang Lin lead the nominees for awards from the newly-established China Swimming and Diving Sports Awards Foundation.

Unveiled by Midea Group, the main sponsor of China's swimming and diving team, last Thursday, the foundation will honor the best Chinese athletes and teams in swimming and diving each year. The group will give one million yuan ($146,445) to the foundation annually.

Women's 200m butterfly world record holder Liu and men's 800m freestyle world champion Zhang are included in the nominees for the Outstanding Performer of the Year along with five-time diving world champion Guo Jingjing, men's diving world champion He Chong and women's backstroke world champion Zhao Jing.