22 TUESDAY MARCH 13, 2007 SPORTSCHINA CHINA DAILY Liang targets majors Hopes rest on a talented few after Singapore win GOLF he told the paper. Swimmers Liang is a big fan of the Liang Wenchong is targeting China Tour, launched in 2005 know success the majors after fi nally living with the aim of giving Chinese up to his billing as China’s com- experience of tournament golf, will not come ing talent with a breakthrough and he won its fi nal event of last victory at the Singapore Mas- year before offering to return easy at Worlds ters. the winner’s cheque to help his The 28-year-old served younger compatriots. in Melbourne notice of his improving form He repeated the offer with the by fi nishing fourth at the Sin- substantially larger $183,000 By Chen Xiangfeng gapore Open and having four cheque he pocketed after beat- top-fi ve placings on the Japan ing Malaysia’s Iain Steel on the Tour last year. fi rst extra hole at the Laguna China’s swimmers are hoping Sunday’s playoff victory was, National Golf Club on Sunday. to make a splash at the upcom- however, by far the best result of “I offered to give away the ing World Championships in his career and matched Chinese prize money from last year’s Melbourne, and they know trailblazer Zhang Lianwei’s sole China Tour Championship, but they’ll have to beat the world’s European Tour triumph at the the problem was that there was best to win gold. same tournament in 2003. no organization to accept and A record national delegation “I just kept saying ‘it’ll hap- manage that money,” he said. of 45 athletes will compete from pen naturally’,” Liang told Titan “So this time I’m going to give March 17 to April 1, but hopes Sports Daily. “At the moment I it to Zhongshan Hot Spring Golf are pinned on just a handful of won, I felt like crying.” Club to make it a base to help athletes. Zhang was the fi rst Chinese the Chinese golfers play abroad. “Wu Peng and Zhang Lin to appear at one of golf’s four I want to re-emphasise that the are the favorites to win a gold majors when he earned an club raised me and I want to pay in the men’s team, while for the invitation to the U.S. Masters them back. I’m grateful.” women, Qi Hui is the best bet,” in 2004 and, having earned The club, in Liang’s home head coach Zhang Yaodong told a two-year exemption on the city which lies between Macau Titan Sports. European Tour, Liang is deter- and Guangzhou in the south- China’s men’s swimmers mined to follow suit. ern province of Guangdong, have never won a gold at a “I have several goals, trying was opened in 1984 -- the fi rst world championships or Olym- Veteran Qi Hui is seen as one of the best bets in the Chinese camp at the upcoming Melbourne World Championships. Reuters to rank number one on the course built in mainland China pic Games, and if Wu is to end Asian Tour and taking part in after liberation in 1949. the jinx in the 200m butterfl y on world-class talent, leaving of Qi, but in the Asiad Fujino sport, but with her contract more big tournaments to get he must beat World No 1 and hopes resting on Qi Hui. settled for third place, a massive expiring after the Worlds she Competitor list myself into the grand slams,” Agencies record holder Michael Phelps Triple winner at the World 4.39 seconds behind Qi. must deliver a good perfor- for the Worlds of the United States. Short-Course Championships in “My aim at the worlds is to mance if she is to stay on until Wu edged Japanese rivals to Shanghai in April and in Doha, get the best result,” Qi told Titan the Beijing Games. Men claim gold at the Doha Asian Qi will compete in 200m and Sports. “Right now, I am fully con- Wu Games in December, and his 400m individual medleys, as The bulk of the women’s team centrated on the Chinese team,” Peng, Owner rewards players time of 1:54.91 was the second well as the 200m breaststroke. is made up of youngsters and Imura told Titan Sports. Zhang fastest of last year, behind only Qi ranks third in the world their primary focus is to gain Imura, who also coaches syn- Lin, Phelps. in 200m breaststroke, but she experience, according to team chronized swimming in Japan, Chen for defeating champions Phelps then turned up the must beat record holder Liesel management. arrived in Beijing last Monday Zuo, pressure with a world record Jones, who will be given added The Chinese team won one and will stay until the end of the Ou Yang SOCCER me,” Uruguayan coach Osvaldo time of 1:53.71 seconds at the motivation by competing in silver medal and four bronzes at tournament. kunpeng, Wang Gimenez told Shanghai Daily. Missouri Grand Prix swimming front of her home crowd. The the last World Championships The 56-year-old – dubbed Dong, Zhou Jiawei, Chen Yin, Shanghai Shenhua fi nally got “I respect all the emotions. It meeting last month. dominance of Jones has led in Montreal, Canada in 2005. “The Godmother” – has helped Wang Haibo, Qu Jingyu, Lai their 2007 season going with is understandable. The only way “He (Phelps) is up there for some experts to think Qi would the Japanese team to three gold, Zhongjian, Zhang Bodong, a deserved 1-0 victory over to turn around the perception is other swimmers to catch. His be better off concentrating on The Godmother one silver and four bronze med- Zhang Chang, Zhang Enjian, champions Shandong Luneng to bring victories and we made best time is almost one second medley. In the synchronized event, als at the Asian and Olympic Huang Shaohua, Cai Lil, Shi in the second round of the a very good start today.” faster than mine. At the world The long-term absence of all eyes will be on China’s Games. Runqiang, Yu Chenglong, Chinese Super League at the Eight-times champions championships, I will try my Yana Klochkova of Ukraine performance following the “If she can lead the team Zhang Zishan, Sun Yang, Li weekend. Dalian Shide beat Changchun best to cut the deficit,” said means the medley crown is up appointment of respected Japa- to a good result, we will defi - Ziqiang, Shi Yang, Zhao Tao, Great expectations were Yatai 1-0 with a 16th-minute Wu, whose recent training has for grabs. Japan’s Maiko Fujino nese coach Masayo Imura. nitely extend her contract until Lu Zhiwu and Ren Chen raised when Shanghai’s top goal from Zou Jie on Saturday been interrupted by a stomach had the fastest time in the world Her hiring at the end of last 2008,” Yu Li, director of Water two clubs merged just before to go top of the table as the only injury. last year, 1.42 seconds ahead year was a huge event in the Polo and Synchronized Swim- Women the start of the season but the team with a 100 percent record Another name to watch is ming Department, was quoted Qi Hui, combined team lost their fi rst after two matches. fast-improving distance free- as saying. Zhou CSL match to Beijing Guoan be- Beijing remained unbeaten styler Zhang Lin. Imura said she still needs Yafei, Xu fore going down 2-1 to Sydney but were disappointed with a The 19-year-old outshone time to get her message across Yanwei, in their opening Asian Champi- 0-0 draw at home to promoted American Olympic medalist to the swimmers. Yang Yu, ons League encounter. Henan Jianye, who had Wang Klete Keller in the 400m free- “It is still a short time since Pang Ji- A fierce strike from mid- Shou sent off early in the sec- style at the Pan Pacifi c titles in I started training the team. I aying, Zhu fi elder Yu Tao seven minutes ond half for a foul on Honduran Canada last August, but suf- have no idea how well the team Yingwen, into the second half, however, international striker Walter fered a setback when he was will do at the Worlds. Jiao Liuyang, Deng gave Shenhua victory over Martinez. beaten in the 1500m freestyle “Our aim in Australia is to Biying, Ji Liping, Luo Nan, Shandong on Sunday and “I won’t look for any excuses, in Doha by South Korean Park show how Chinese synchronized Chen Jiahui, Xu Tian longzi, earned the team a share of a I’ll take all the responsibility,” Tae Hwan. swimmers are performing on Zhao Jing, Gao Yang, Bai two million yuan ($258,300) their Korean coach Lee Jang- In the women’s side, world the major world stage. We have Anqi, Tang Jingzhi, Tang bonus from multimillionaire soo said. “The players tried and Olympic champion Luo to try to impress the people in Yi, Tan Miao, Yu Yue and owner Zhu Jun. their best.” Xuejuan’s retirement came as Wu Peng is hoping to become fi rst Chinese men's swimmer to the fi eld and set a solid base for Yu Yao. “When I dined out ... the other a major blow to squad short win a world title in Melbourne. Reuters the 2008 Beijing Olympics.” day, nobody wanted to speak to Agencies SCOREBOARD GOLF Detroit 98 LA CLIPPERS 80 Boston 6 DETROIT 3 German league Livorno 6 11 10 27 39 29 Athletic Bilbao 6 8 12 27 37 26 Pods Championship Chicago 94 BOSTON 78 MINNESOTA 3 Colorado 2 (OT) BERLIN: German football league results Torino 7 7 13 21 39 28 Tarragona 5 5 16 28 48 20 Real Sociedad 3 8 15 18 35 17 PALM HARBOR, Florida: Leading fi nal- HOUSTON 103 Orlando 92 DALLAS 4 Los Angeles 3 (OT) on Sunday: Siena 5 13 9 24 31 27 Denver 113 SACRAMENTO 101 Cagliari 5 12 10 21 30 27 round scores here on Sunday from the $5.3 Hamburg 0 Bayer Leverkusen 0 TENNIS MIAMI 106 Washington 104 RUGBY Bayern Munich 1 (Podolski 7) Werder Chievo 5 9 13 29 39 24 million US PGA Pods Championship (USA Indian Wells ATP and WTA unless noted): CLEVELAND 99 Indiana 88 Six Nations Bremen 1 (Rosenberg 66) Messina 5 9 13 28 43 24 Dallas 108 LA LAKERS 72 PARIS: Six Nations table and results after Standings Reggina 8 9 10 34 39 22 INDIAN WELLS, California: Results here 274 - Mark Calcavecchia 75-67-62-70 on Sunday in the $5.3 million ATP and 275 - John Senden (AUS) 69-71-69-66, PORTLAND 106 Golden State 87 Sunday’s match (played, won, drawn, lost, W D L Gf Ga Pts Ascoli 3 10 14 20 39 19 Standings points for, points against, total points): Schalke 04 15 5 5 41 25 50 Parma 3 10 14 23 46 19 WTA Pacifi c Life Open hardcourt tourna- Heath Slocum 68-69-67-71 ment: Eastern Conference At Twickenham: England 26 France 18 Bremen 14 5 6 59 33 47 Note: Reggina deducted 11 points.