22 THURSDAY MARCH 22, 2007 SPORTSCHINA CHINA DAILY INBRIEF Overseas OLYMPICS Birthday boy wants Open present trio aim Nike reaches out to China’s 2008 Olympic teams Nike is launching a new Ol- to give ympic campaign by providing Nike Pro, the functional base layer garments, to Chinese Socceroos 2008 Olympic teams. Up to 18 teams including a shock track and fi eld, rowing, tennis, soccer, baseball and softball, SOCCER fi eld hockey, have started to use them according to the By Chen Xiangfeng designer Susie Kuhn. NBA prospect Yi Jianlian and soc- cer international Sun Xiang, China has called up three who plays for Dutch champion overseas players for Saturday’s team PSV Eindhoven, are star friendly match with Australia consumers in the Chinese in a bid to fi ne-tune the team sporting camp. for July’s AFC Asian Cup. Apart from providing gar- England-based Sun Jihai ments, Nike also established and Zheng Zhi have arrived in links with Chinese Olympic Guangzhou for China’s fi rst ev- teams by inviting a group of er match with the “Socceroos”, noted coaches to hold coach- who will debut at the Asian Cup ing clinics in China. Big after joining the Asian Football names include track legend Confederation last year. Ger- Michael Johnson and tennis many-based midfielder Shao guru Brad Gilbert. Jiayi and Manchesters United’s forward Dong Fangzhuo will ATHLETICS return later. “It’s a big game for us. We Beijing to host distance haven’t played them before so running festival on Sunday this is a good chance to get to To celebrate the 500-day count- know them better,” midfi elder down to the Beijing Olympic Zheng told CCTV Games, the Samsung Cup 2007 “We’re at home and neither Beijing International Long-dis- China’s snooker sensation Ding Junhui looks on during last year’s China Open in Beijing. Ding is hoping to repeat his 2005 success at this year’s tournament, and he side knows much about each tance Running Festival will be is due to celebrate 20th birthday on the day of the fi nal. Yang Shizhong other. I am confi dent we can held on Sunday morning. win,” added Zheng, who is full The event, organised by the coverage of the final three tournaments in Beijing. of confi dence after his debut Beijing Sports Bureau and Title on home baize perfect gift frames. “I am fully confident that goal and man-of-the-match Beijing People’s Association Winning a pro Ding’s home matches in 2006 this year’s tournament will be performance during his new for Friendship with Foreign for Ding Junhui when he turns 20 tour title on my were the most-watched sports even better than the previous club Charlton’s 2-0 victory over Countries and sponsored by home court on my events on CCTV last year. two.” Newcastle on Sunday. 2008 Beijing Olympic Partner By Zhao Rui I just want to focus on my game “I cannot wait to watch him in World Snooker has already Head coach Zhu Guanghu Samsung Electronics, will start and not think too far ahead. The birthday would be Beijing,” said Wang Meng, a 21- set up a Chinese language hopes Zheng’s club form can at 9:30am on Sunday from at China Open is where I started, very exciting. I can’t year-old snooker fan from the website and, based on the suc- inspire his national team- Tian’anmen Square, fi nishing Ding Junhui is set to stir up an- it’s always a very special tour- capital. “He has made snooker cess of the China Open, has mates. at Naoshikou north street for other snooker frenzy when he nament for me.” imagine a better one of the most popular sports signed an eight-year contract “Zheng has proven his ability elderly and junior groups (5 launches his fi ght for the China The sport is booming in birthday present. amongst Chinese youngsters. with China’s Multiple Admin- to mix it in the Premier League. kms) and China Millennium Open title in Beijing next week China on the back of wonderkid It’s awesome.” istrative Centre of the State I hope he will keep this form for Monument for adult and inter- on his 20th birthday. Ding’s performances. He an- DING JUNHUI Ding will be joined by eight General Sports Administra- the national team. We will try national groups (10 kms). But defending champion nounced his arrival at snooker’s Snooker sensation Chinese wildcards in the tour- tion, the longest contract the our best to win against tough Two thousand professional run- Mark Williams and a host of top table by defeating Hendry in nament, which takes place at snooker governing body has opposition,” Zhu was quoted as ners and 8,000 Beijing citizens top players including Stephen the 2005 China Open fi nal in Beijing University Students ever inked. saying on Sina.com. will take part in the festival. Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan front of a television audience of as the youngest player to reg- Stadium. “The snooker environment is “We haven’t called up all the will not be making the trip just 110 million. ister a televised maximum 147 Mike Ganley, World Snooker improving year by year,” said overseas players this time, but SOCCER to wish him happy returns. The win elevated Ding to break. Tournament Director, acknowl- Liu Rongyao, snooker direc- they are all important. The world’s top 16 play- the status of national hero, He became the first Asian edged that China was the tor of the Centre. “Fans and “I try to keep in touch with South Korean automobile ers will all be present at the placing him alongside NBA player to reach the final of the engine powering the sport’s organizers learned a lot from them every week. Right now we producer backs CFA tournament which runs from center Yao Ming and record- Masters, the most prestigious future. the past two events, and the have a good chance to work on South Korean carmaker Kia March 26 to April 1, but for holding hurdler Liu Xiang in event in the sport, but looked “I am sure the Chinese standard of the tournament is tactics and make sure the team Motors and its joint venture in the growing army of local the popularity stakes and on in tears as “Rocket” Ron- tournament has helped to getting higher. plays as a unit.” China, Dongfeng Yueda Kia, fans Ding will be the center giving the sport an invalu- nie O’Sullivan demolished drive the dramatic growth “We want to build the China Zhu expressed his regret yesterday signed an agree- of attention. able lift in China’s poten- him 10-3 in a snooker mas- in the popularity of snooker Open into the most successful that injured PSV Eindhoven ment to be the sole offi cial “Winning a pro tour title on tially-mega market. terclass. worldwide,” he said at a press tournament in Beijing. Ding’s left-back Sun Xiang could not automotive partner of China my home court on my birthday The 2007 season saw Ding Chinese fans were so cap- conference yesterday. “China latest success will take the make the trip. Football Association in the would be very exciting. I can’t outclass Hendry again en tivated by Ding’s emotional is such a key area for snooker sport to another level, so I’m Sun, the fi rst Chinese foot- years to 2010. They will spon- imagine a better birthday route to the fi nal of the Mas- exit that national broadcaster and we are delighted to have confi dent the upcoming China baller to compete in the UEFA sor China’s national soccer present,” Ding told Chinese ters in January, a week after he CCTV was forced to reschedule capitalized on the great suc- Open will once again become a Champions League, picked up a teams at all levels. The move Central Television (CCTV). “But replaced opponent O’Sullivan programming to provide live cess of the last two years’ hot topic for the fans.” right knee injury and was taken is to promote Kia’s global off during the weekend’s clash brand strategy of “Exciting & with Ajax. He is still suffering Enabling” in China. The Kia pain and will stay in Eindhoven joint venture sold 115,000 for treatment. vehicles last year. It makes “His absence is a blow, but the Carnival van, Optima mid- Asian chief: Liang can compete with world’s best we’ll have to accept it and fi nd sized sedan, Cerato compact someone to take his place,” sedan and Rio subcompact. GOLF PGA Tour and Asian PGA Tour, nese youngster arrived on the said Zhu. Liang’s success emulating Zhang’s feat in the big stage by fi nishing fourth as Australia showed the impor- SNOOKER Asian Tour chief Kyi Hla Han same tournament in 2003. an amateur in the Volvo China tance of the game by calling believes Liang Wenchong can in Singapore was While Zhang blazed a trail for Open in 1999, a tournament up Middlesbrough trio Mark Made in China tables to be achieve success on the interna- timely and now that Chinese with his magnifi cent which Han won. Schwarzer, Mark Viduka and used at Open tional front, saying the sky is exploits – winning fi ve times “When I won the Volvo China Brad Jones. They came through Installation of Star snooker the limit for the new Chinese he’s tasted his fi rst across the region and featured Open, Liang did really well and Monday night’s FA Cup replay tables has begun for the China star.