Digest

ATHLETICS

Sprinter Ge clocks 200m personal best

Chinese sprinter Ge Manqi on Sunday set a 200-meter personal best of 22.69 seconds－the fastest time by a Chinese female athlete over the distance since 1998.

In a competition organized by the Chinese Athletics Association in Fuzhou, Fujian province, Ge slashed almost half a second off her previous 200m PB, which she set in 2017.

A day earlier, Ge won the women's 100m final, clocking 11.31.

"I haven't made a breakthrough in 200m for a long time," said Ge. "I kept training without having any vacation. All the efforts that I made during winter training are now all worth it. Thanks to my coach who helped me all these years. I want to give him a big hug."

Liu's 'winter' training heats up in Shandong

World silver medalist Liu Shiying says her preparations for the delayed Tokyo Olympics are going well at an prolonged "winter" training camp in her hometown of Yantai, Shandong province.

The 27-year-old javelin thrower and her teammates have been training in Yantai for months after the camp was extended because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

"I am trying to build my physical energy during winter camp, getting myself ready for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021," Liu said.

"Although we are not doctors or nurses fighting against the coronavirus on the frontlines, we can train hard and hopefully bring more glory to our country."

Apart from physical training, these javelin throwers are taking online courses every week, seizing every chance to enhance themselves.

Earlier this month, teams from the around the country also tested themselves against each other in an online javelin competition.

GOLF

Woods and Manning win TV charity match

Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning held off a late challenge to beat Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady 1-up in a charity golf match in Florida on Sunday that raised $20 million for COVID-19 relief efforts.

Woods, a 15-time major champion, and two-time Super Bowl winner Manning jumped out to a three-hole lead on the front nine at the Medalist Golf Club in Hobe Sound.

While Woods' booming drives and Manning's solid putting saw the pair dominate the early holes, five-time major winner Mickelson and Brady won the 11th and 14th to shave the lead to one.

However, they were unable to force extra holes after Woods delivered a dagger putt on 18 as darkness descended on his home course.

The shot of the day came from Brady on the seventh when he holed out from the fairway just after NBA great Charles Barkley, working as a commentator, had been giving the quarterback a hard time for his ice-cold start.

"Shut your mouth, Chuck," Brady said with a smile.

The competition comes 2-1/2 weeks before the PGA Tour plans to resume its season on June 11 at Colonial in Forth Worth, Texas.

BASKETBALL

Abdushalamu recovers from US knee surgery

Team China and Xinjiang Flying Tigers star Abdushalamu Abdurexiti says his rehabilitation from a serious knee injury is progressing well in the United States.

The 24-year-old ruptured the ACL in his left knee after falling awkwardly during a CBA game against the Beijing Ducks on Dec 24, 2019.

In January of this year, Abdushalamu underwent surgery in the United States which requires nine months of rehab, according to his doctor.

Abdushalamu said that he is still in the early stages of his recovery.

"I keep having rehabilitation training each day, and I watch videos of my own games when I have time," Abdushalamu told Xinhua in a recent interview.

"I've nearly finished watching all my videos of the last season... and I also watched the Michael Jordan documentary, The Last Dance."

As a player with excellent shooting ability, Abdushalamu helped Team China win gold at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, averaging 14 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.

SOCCER

Dzeko kicking off new career as cafe owner

Roma captain Edin Dzeko is branching out into business as he approaches the twilight of his career.

The Bosnia& Herzegovina international is considered one of Europe's best strikers, but at 34 years old, is aware that he does not have much time left before he hangs up his boots.

In April last year, Dzeko opened a cafe and hookah bar in a leading district of Dubrovnik, a world-famous Croatian tourist destination that is widely considered one of the most beautiful cities on the planet.

Dubrovnik regularly attracts celebrity A-listers to its quaint streets, including Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.

"Suffice to say that Cristiano Ronaldo enjoyed Dzeko's bar, to understand how Edin is providing himself with a money-making machine after his career ends," read a piece in the Liberation newspaper.

Xinhua - Agencies