sports PAGE 24 | TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012 CHINADAILY.COM.CN/SPORTS CHINA DAILY Zhangs part ways Veteran fi gure skating pair splits as ing session in 2010, which led future, studying will be good to the pair missing the whole for me,” Dan said. “I have no Dan calls it a day on stellar career of the 2010-2011 season. plans aft er studying. I don’t like “If I’m too tall, it might be to be bound to something, so I By LEI LEI rupt its performance before diffi cult for my partner to do probably can’t be a coach. But [email protected] Dan recovered and was able to the twists, lifts and throws,” I won’t ever be too far away continue. Skating to the music Dan said. “I will face more (from skating).” China’s renowned figure of The Offspring of Drag, the resistance in the air, so the pose Meanwhile, Hao gave her his skating pair of Zhang Dan and pair earned a standing ovation won’t look as good as others. It’s blessings. Zhang Hao are gliding off in from more than 6,000 fans at a big obstacle to our teamwork. “Thank you for your help, diff erent directions. the Palavela rink. Th eir coura- “If Hao and I can’t make fur- tolerance and understand- Zhang Dan, the Turin Win- geous action inspired the fi gure ther progress, we can’t achieve ing to me during out 14 years ter Olympic pairs silver medal- skating world and they became more at the 2014 Winter together,” Hao said on his wei- ist, announced her retirement national heroes aft er the com- Games. A new partner may bo account on Monday. from the ice on petition. give Hao more chance in Sochi. “All the details of our train- SKATING Sunday night, Aft er the Turin Games, the “I don’t have too many regrets ing and studying together while her part- pair battled injuries and settled about retiring. Aft er all, I have remain fresh memories for ner, Hao, has already started for silver medals at the 2008 gained an Olympic silver medal. me. We were happy when we training with Peng Cheng in a and 2009 World Champion- I teamed up with Hao for nearly succeeded and we encouraged bid for more glory at the 2014 ships. 15 years and we worked hard each other when we lost. I will Sochi Winter Olympics. However, Dan’s continued and gave our all in training remember all your efforts. “We respect Zhang Dan’s growth became a major prob- and competitions. Although I wish you a bright future in decision, so we approved her lem for the veteran pair in we didn’t grab the opportunity study and daily life. I believe retirement application,” said recent years. At about 1.69m, to earn a gold at the worlds or your perseverance will lead you Yao Bin, head coach of China’s she was among the tallest Olympics, we have no regrets as to a successful future.” fi gure skating team. female skaters in pairs and it we tried our best.” Hao’s main priority now is to “Since Zhang Hao still wants became more and more dif- Dan is now planning to study get used to his new partner and to continue, we have found a fi cult for Hao to handle her. He at the Beijing Sport University. re-enter competitions. Peng, new partner for him. Th e new injured a hand during a train- “No matter what I do in the who is 16 and started pairs duo has been training for more skating only a year ago, fin- than 10 days. Although their ished sixth with Zhang Tianci teamwork is starting from at the National Winter Games. scratch, they are making prog- “We selected Peng for Hao ress each day.” due to her stature and abilities. Th e Zhangs were a team for Th rough days of training, Hao 14 years and stunned the skat- is satisfi ed with her,” coach Yao OAR-SOME PERFORMANCE ing world in 2006 when they said. “But Hao still has to con- SRDJAN STEVANOVIC recovered from a nasty fall at trol his power with his partner, PHOTO BY / GETTY IMAGES the Turin Winter Olympic so they have to get used to each Zhang Xiuyun of China competes in the women’s single sculls of the Games to claim silver. other gradually.” During the pairs free skat- According to Yao, the new World Rowing Cup I on Ada Ciganlija lake on Sunday in Belgrade, ing competition in Turin, Dan pair is now training for the Serbia. Zhang won the gold medal, beating archrival Mirka Knapkova crashed into the side barrier 2012-2013 season, which will of the Czech Republic, who fi nished second. Th e 36-year-old Zhang and was left sprawled on the ice PETER PARKS / AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE start with the Grand Prix series aft er falling during a quadruple Zhang Dan (top) and Zhang Hao of China compete in the pairs in October. Zhang and Peng has been racing internationally for nearly two decades and won a sil- throw, which would have made competition during the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating in will try to qualify for the World ver medal at the 1996 Olympic Games. She is considered China’s most history had they landed it suc- Shanghai on Nov 5, 2011. Dan anncounced her retirement on Championships next year and cessfully. Th e pair had to inter- Sunday. then the 2014 Games. accomplished female sculler. shandongspecial Shandong’s multibillion yuan outreach to Kashgar By JU CHUANJIANG and ery and vehicle manufactur- have a combined population Th e projects aim to improve WANG QIAN in Kashgar ing, new energy and building of 954,000, almost 35 percent local people’s living standards materials production, as well of them living below the pov- through building residential Kashgar prefecture, one of as food processing and agri- erty line. and industrial facilities, pro- the least-developed areas in culture. “Shandong’s new assistance moting vocational education northwest China’s Xinjiang The projects are among package is more complete than and off ering employment. Uygur autonomous region, is more than 200 projects in Xin- before,” said Wang Hua, chief Plans call for development of expected to enter a new stage jiang that have been started by of Shandong’s assistance pro- an industrial park and a mod- of growth following invest- Shandong companies aft er the gram in Xinjiang. “In addition ern agricultural park in each of ment from companies in central government began a to direct fi nancial aid, we are the four counties. Shandong. program in 2010 that requires launching investment projects Over the past two years, the On April 28 an environmen- developed eastern regions to off ering funds, technology and Shandong government has tally friendly cement plant built offer economic assistance to management expertise to our helped a number of companies with 1.4 billion yuan ($222 mil- Xinjiang. partners.” develop businesses in Xinjiang lion) in investment from Shan- According to the program, by building various industrial dong’s Sunnsy Group began 19 developed provinces and 205 projects parks, including an iron and operation in Kashgar’s Yengisar municipalities are required According to Wang, 24.6 steel park in Shule, a building county. It is projected to pro- to contribute 0.3 to 0.6 per- billion yuan in funding from materials park in Yengisar, a duce 1.5 million tons of cement cent of their government companies in Shandong has comprehensive industrial park annually. revenues from 2011 to 2020 started 205 projects in the in Yopurga and an agricultural Earlier this year, another to support Xinjiang’s devel- four counties. The effort is park in Makit. 33 Shandong-backed proj- opment. expected to create at least Total funds from three major ects began production in the Shandong is assigned to help 50,000 jobs. investors alone — Shandong county. Requiring a combined four poverty-stricken counties Construction on 115 of the Iron and Steel Group, Sunnsy investment of 1.9 billion yuan, in Kashgar — Shule, Yengisar, projects was completed last Group and Shandong Heavy the projects include machin- Yopurga and Makit — that year. Industry Group — have now JU CHUANJIANG / CHINA DAILY surpassed 10 billion yuan. Shandong Iron and Steel Group facility under construction in Kashgar’s Shule county. A 7.3 billion yuan iron and steel facility funded by Shan- production of building materi- technologies and experience By 2015, 400,000 tons of dong Iron and Steel Group is als has been developed in the in the fi eld. processed fruits from the site under construction in Shule county at total investment of A fl ower and vegetable farm are expected to generate 1.6 county, the fi rst of its kind in 820 million yuan. It has already has been established in Shule billion yuan in sales revenues south Xinjiang. When fi nished attracted 28 companies that at a total investment of 1.6 bil- annually. in October, it is projected to make 1.6 billion bricks annu- lion yuan. Wang Lisheng, deputy chief produce 3 million tons of iron ally. Tai’an-based food company of Shandong’s assistance pro- and steel, and generate 9.5 “Relying on the rich shale Kunqing has invested 500 mil- gram in Xinjiang, said the billion yuan in sales revenue resources, we are committed lion yuan to build a food pro- eff ort will help Xinjiang turn annually. to making the county a major cessing plant in Yopurga coun- its wealth of minerals, coal and Due to rising local demand, building materials produc- ty that produces preserved agricultural products into an the building materials industry tion hub in Xinjiang,” said fruits ranging from apricots, economic advantage, but noted is another focus of Shandong Ren Guangde, deputy chief pears, peaches and grapes to environmental protection is investment.