China

Top 10 stories of China sports in 2009

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-12-31 09:35

(7)Figure skating: Gold the goal

Winning the Grand Prix finals title for the sixth time in Tokyo early this month topped a fine comeback for China's veteran figure skating pair of Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo. Now, the Olympic gold medal is the only thing on their minds.

After more than two years in retirement, the three-time world champion pair burst back on to the skating scene this year in a bid to claim Olympic gold at the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games in February.

The pair has won all three competitions it has participated in this season and upped its personal best scores each time. At the GP Finals in Tokyo, Shen and Zhao won gold with a record 214.25 points.

"The Olympic gold medal has always been our dream and we will strive for it step by step," said 36-year-old Zhao.

Led by Shen/Zhao, the other two top Chinese pairs, Pang Qing/Tong Jian, the 2006 world champions and runners-up at the Grand Prix final this season, and Zhang Dan/Zhang Hao, will also strive for glory in Vancouver.

(8)Match fixing: Finally ...

Match fixing has been an open secret in China's professionsal soccer leagues but it was not until March this year that the nation's cabinet started to take is seriously.

For the first time, a high-profile committee was set up by 12 ministry-level organs to clean Chinese soccer of its evils. So far, at least seven executives, including two from China's only English-backed soccer club Chengdu Blades, have been arrested and detained for match-fixing and gambling, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

Meanwhile, dozens of former players and officials have been questioned with some of them being accused of gambling through foreign websites.

Nan Yong, deputy chairman of the Chinese Football Association (CFA), said the association would cooperate with the security bureau.