IN BRIEF (Page 22)
SNOOKER
Star table lauded by players and officials
China-made Star Brand snooker table has won scores of praise from players and officials after the 2007 China Open which ended on Sunday in Beijing.
Approved by the World Snooker Association, the Star Brand table by the Beijing Xingwei Sports Goods Co Ltd, became the official table for the event. It is the second time the table has been used in a major world event after it hit the headlines in 2006 when it was used for the BetFred English Premier League snooker competition.
"The Star Brand table is probably the best table I ever played on," said Stephen Hendry, the seven-time world championships winner. Hendry has been signed as a spokesperson for the brand.
Joe Swail, impressed by the table's performance, has contacted the company with an intention to buy some for his friends.
World Snooker Association chairman Rodney Walker told company president Gan Liantong that the players were all very satisfied with the table and hoped to see it again.
BASKETBALL
Gatorade champions to get NBA tickets
The 2007 Gatorade 3-on-3 Basketball Challenge will take place from mid-April in 13 competition zones in China. As an extra incentive to win, the national champions will be given the chance to fly to the USA to watch their favorite NBA teams play.
At least 50,000 hoopsters are expected to join the event and challenge for the national crown.
Competitions in the Beijing zone will begin on April 7 at China University of Mining & Technology and Beijing University of Chemical Technology.
Fans who dream of watching the latest NBA action first-hand should visit Mygator.cn and fill in the application form as soon as possible.
Gatorade, a leading sports drink brand under Pepsi, has long been a partner of the NBA and also the sponsor of stars like Dwyane Wade, Kevin Garnett, Vince Carter and Michael Jordan.
It will invite some of the basketball icons to join a number of activities in the US, together with the winners of the Challenge.
(China Daily 04/03/2007 page22)
