22 SPORTS Tuesday, January 30, 2018 CHINA DAILY BASKETBALL Gettin’ their kicks Three the magic number for Yao Infront, a world-renowned CBA chief urges China to target sports marketing company with headquarters in Zug, glory in burgeoning 3x3 game Switzerland, is confident it can make the tournament its By SHI FUTIAN development of the nation- latest success story in Chi- [email protected] wide tournament, which was nese basketball. launched in November. Infront China’s involve- Yao Ming reckons 3x3 bas- The inaugural tournament ment with the national team ketball offers China a special includes qualifying, provin- and the CBA has resulted in chance to shine in the sport. cial and regional rounds, a record levels of television The Chinese Basketball north-south championship coverage and sponsorship. Association is building and the final national cham- “We have been closely toward 3x3’s Olympic debut pionship, in late April. cooperating with Chinese at Tokyo 2020 by staging a The tournament also fits basketball for 13 years, and national 3x3 tournament, into China’s National Fitness we have made extraordinary which is open to amateurs Program, which is tasked contributions to the develop- and professionals alike and with increasing the nation’s ment of the Chinese basket- offers members of the win- participation in grassroots ball market,” said Anne Zhao, ning team the chance to play sports. managing director of Beijing- at the Games. “We want to connect the based Infront China. Speaking at a media con- National Fitness Program “The new cooperation on ference for the Road to Olym- with the Olympics to give it the 3x3 basketball tourna- pics — National 3x3 new energy,” said Yao. ment is the latest milestone Basketball Tournament in “Through the Road to of our long-term partnership. Beijing, Yao, an eight-time Olympics platform everyone We will try our best to make a NBA All-Star who was elect- can have a chance to display new and healthy contribu- ed to the Naismith Memorial their skills, which can great- tion to promote the develop- Basketball Hall of Fame as a ly benefit the nation’s fit- ment of the 3x3 basketball in center, joked he might come ness.” China.” out of retirement to play point guard. On a more serious note, the CBA president believes 3x3 has opened a new window of opportunity for Chinese bas- ketball because, unlike the China (red) defeated South Korea to win the women’s team crown at the WT World Cup team taekwondo championships in Wuxi, Jiangsu traditional five-on-five game, province, on Saturday. Five-member Team China disposed of the Koreans 53-17. China also won the mixed team title, beating Russia 19-18 it is new to almost all coun- in a tiebreaker after the two sides played to a 18-18 draw in regulation time. Iran won the men’s team title, beating China 76-56 at Wuxi Tai- tries. hu International Expo Center. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY “The first Olympic basket- ball tournament was at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, and after almost 30 years of GOLF development 3x3 basketball was announced to join the 2020 Summer Olympics, reshaping the history of the Li living dream after Dubai win sport,” Yao said. “Through the new national tournament, lots of young By SHI FUTIAN made some of the best shots of athletes will have the chance [email protected] my life. I think my game is in a to compete in the Olympics. good position now.” This is a new start for Chi- Through the new national Li Haotong is poised for a Li turned professional in nese basketball. By establish- rocket ride up the world golf 2011 on the OneAsia Tour and ing this system early, we will tournament, lots of young rankings. PGA Tour of Australasia. On achieve better results for the athletes will have the chance to “Last night, my phone was May 1, 2016, he captured his future of the sport.” exploding. Seriously. And first European Tour victory at As the exclusive business compete in the Olympics. there were so many messages the Volvo China Open. partner, Infront China is saying ‘Oh, Haotong’, on the In 2017, Li mainly played on responsible for the business Yao Ming, Chinese Basketball Association president website or whatever,” the the European Tour, and also 22-year-old from Hunan had some breakthroughs at province said after holding the majors. A low point came off four-time major winner last June when he threw his World Cup a benchmark for reforms Rory McIlroy to win the Ome- putter in a lake in frustration ga Dubai Desert Classic by a at the French Open, only for it single stroke on Sunday, to be fished out by his mother. Yao Ming expects his ment’s mascot finalists in Tokyo 2020 Olympics. denying the Northern Irish- Li Haotong celebrates his one-shot victory over Rory McIlroy at the None of that mattered in reforms of Chinese basketball Wuhan. Yao also said that some man’s bid to win his first title Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday. AFP Dubai, where McIlory was to start paying off by 2019 The 37-year-old, though, university players have been in 17 months. frustrated by what he called when China hosts the FIBA cautioned that the reforms allowed to play in the CBA Li claimed his first Europe- “mental errors”. World Cup. were still in their infancy. All-Star Game because the an Tour title at the China Open “It was a couple of bad shots, Since becoming president of “Before we choose the road CBA hopes to whip up bas- in 2016 and then stunned the I don’t have many trophies a couple of poor decisions, a the Chinese Basketball Associ- for development, we need to ketball fever in Chinese golf world with an impressive couple of mental errors, a few ation in early 2017, the eight- make sure what fits us most schools and select more third-place finish at last year’s at home, so I was quite happy tentative putts,” said McIlory. time NBA All-Star has and what prerequisites we young players. British Open. “I kept leaving myself in pla- introduced a number of meas- need,” he added. “Basketball faces stiff com- “This is truly an amazing to lift that heavy thing. ces where I couldn’t really give ures designed to reinvigorate Of all his changes, the crea- petition from sectors such as and brilliant victory, and con- the ball a run at the hole Li Haotong, after winning the Dubai Desert Classic the CBA and the national team. tion of two national teams, electronics sports in attract- gratulations to Li,” fellow Chi- because the shots were down- Eight Chinese cities will host each with an independent ing the young generation,” he nese pro Wu Ashun posted on hill, downgrain, downwind. the World Cup from Aug coaching staff and roster, to said. Weibo. shots to reach the green on the male golfer from China to “If someone had told me at 31-Sept 15 next year, when Yao alternately represent China at “That’s why we will encour- Li notched a tournament par-5 18th. break into the world’s top 50. the start of the year I would hopes to see a marked international events through age Chinese basketball to record 23-under 265 after a The first Asian to win the “I don’t have many trophies finish third and second in my improvement from the national 2018 has attracted the most continue its cooperation with 3-under 69 in the final round event, Li pocketed about at home, so I was quite happy first two events, I would have team. headlines. the education and entertain- to edge McIlroy, who also shot $500,000 for the biggest vic- to lift that heavy thing!” Li said, ‘Yeah, I’ll take that.’ But “Hosting the World Cup will The move aims to better ment sectors to create a plat- a 69 on Sunday. tory of his young career. His said. “I just didn’t realize I being in the positions I’ve inject a cardiac stimulant into encourage up-and-coming tal- form where kids can enjoy A 10-foot birdie putt on the second championship on the could make that putt on 15 — been in and having two close Chinese basketball and make ent and, in turn, create more learning different things 15th set the stage for Li’s victo- European Tour is likely to that was huge. I think that was calls it’s a little difficult. the sport develop in all competition for places as the simultaneously.” ry, but McIlroy ramped up the push him to No 32 in the the turning point. “The competitor in me is aspects,” said Yao at an unveil- squads work toward merging pressure by taking just two world rankings — the first “On the last four holes I very disappointed right now.” ing ceremony for the tourna- for the FIBA World Cup and the XINHUA EXTREME SPORTS Feng, Lin light up women’s game By CHINA DAILY was shortened to 54 holes Ultra-runner Bai to take on because of winds gusting to 45 Li Haotong’s win in Dubai mph. wasn’t the only highlight for With the help of floodlights epic Pole-to-Pole challenge Chinese golfers on the week- during the final round at Para- end. dise Island’s Ocean’s Club, By XINHUA Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Women’s world No 1 Feng Brittany Lincicome of the US Guatemala, Mexico, the Unit- Shanshan maintained her top birdied four of the last five Chinese ultra-runner Bai ed States and Canada.