China Sports Weekly (2.9-2.15)

BEIJING, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- Here are the latest Chinese sports headlines from the past week:

1. Harbin Asian Winter Games closes after historic achievements

Artists perform during the closing ceremony of the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, on Feb. 14, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)

The 9th Asian Winter Games came to a close on February 14 in Harbin after days of competition that witnessed historic breakthroughs for several delegations.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang attended the closing ceremony at the Harbin International Conference, Exhibition and Sports Center, where Timothy Fok Tsun-ting, first vice president of the Olympic Council of Asia, officially declared the Games closed.

With Cambodia and Saudi Arabia making their debut at the Asian Winter Games, Harbin 2025 set a record by welcoming over 1,200 athletes from 34 countries and regions, making it the largest edition of the event in history in terms of participation.

China won 32 gold, 27 silver, and 26 bronze medals to finish atop the medal tally, tying the record for the most gold medals set by Kazakhstan at the 7th Asian Winter Games in Astana-Almaty in 2011.

2. China's Sun, Lin snatch singles titles at WTT Singapore Smash

Women's singles winner Sun Yingsha (L) and men's singles winner Lin Shidong pose with their trophies at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Singapore Smash on Feb. 9, 2025. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

Chinese paddlers Sun Yingsha and Lin Shidong emerged as respective winners in the women's and men's singles events at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Singapore Smash on February 9, as China secured all five titles on offer.

In both all-Chinese singles finals, Sun outplayed Kuai Man 4-1 while Lin beat Liang Jingkun 4-2.

Lin enjoys an incredible run in Singapore, achieving treble success in the men's singles, men's doubles along with Wang Chuqin, and mixed doubles alongside Kuai, who also won the women's doubles title with Wang Manyu.

Following his triumph, Lin moved up to men's singles world No. 1 in the latest world rankings released on February 11.

3. Veteran Gong named head coach of China women's basketball team

Gong Luming, then head coach of the China men's basketball team, gestures during his side's Group A match against Serbia at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, on Aug. 14, 2016. (Xinhua/Xu Zijian)

Veteran coach Gong Luming has replaced Zheng Wei as the new head coach of the China women's basketball team, the Chinese Basketball Association announced on February 11, marking his return to the position he last held 20 years ago.

Beginning his coaching career in 1991, Gong led China's men to a historic eighth place at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. He then served as the head coach of the women's national team from 1999 to 2005. During his six-year tenure, China clinched gold at the 2002 Asian Games and finished sixth at the FIBA Women's World Championship that same year.

Gong was reappointed head coach of the struggling men's team in 2014, and helped China reclaim the FIBA Asia Championship in 2015, thus qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

The 2025 FIBA Women's Asia Cup in July will be the first test for 67-year-old Gong, as China aims to retain the title.

4. China edges Qatar in AFC U20 Asian Cup opener

Players of China pose for a photo ahead of their AFC U20 Asian Cup opening match against Qatar in Shenzhen, China, on Feb. 12, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Xulun)

Kuai Jiwen and Liu Chengyu scored in the first half as host China edged Qatar 2-1 in the AFC U20 Asian Cup opening match on February 12.

In the 16-team tournament, China has been drawn into Group A alongside Australia, Qatar, and Kyrgyzstan. The home team aims to enter the top four to qualify for the 2025 FIFA U20 World Cup, ending a 20-year absence from the global stage.

5. Zheng Qinwen exits Qatar Open after defeat to Ons Jabeur

Zheng Qinwen of China serves during her women's singles round of 32 match against Ons Jabeur of Tunisia at the WTA Qatar Open in Doha, Qatar, on Feb. 11, 2025. (Photo by Nikku/Xinhua)

Zheng Qinwen's campaign at the Qatar Open ended on February 11 after she was defeated in the round of 32 by Ons Jabeur.

The Chinese world No. 8 lost in straight sets to the world No. 35, with a scoreline of 6-4, 6-2, resulting in an early exit from the tournament.

This loss further extended Zheng's disappointing run, following her earlier exit at the Australian Open, where she was eliminated in the second round by Germany's Laura Siegemund. ■

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