Chinese basketball star Yi Jianlian made his NBA debut on October 31, playing against the Orlando Magic. The Milwaukee Bucks rookie managed 9 points, 3 rebounds and 2 blocks before fouling out. Orlando won the game 102-83.
Yi Jianlian in action against Orlando Magic (Image courtesy of Xinhuanet)
It is not a superb debut, but Yi’s performance was quite ok. The press and Chinese basketball fans are comparing him with another Chinese NBA star, Yao Ming, who failed to score a single point in his first NBA game… so Yi did make a relatively convincing start in NBA.
Despite a poor debut, Yao Ming has become an important player in the league. It is still remain to be seen if Yi Jianlian could match Yao’s performances and cultural impact, but both the US and Chinese media will be watching him closely for the NBA season.
One thing that Yi needs to address seriously is his foul trouble. He was fouled out again in his 2nd match, this time against Charlotte Bobcats on Friday… Milwaukee lost their 2nd game in a role.
A series of commemorative medal for basketball star Yao Ming has been released in Beijing, China. The medals are produced by gold, silver and high-relief cast copper technology; the price is not mentioned.
Yao Ming commemorative medal on sale (Image courtesy of Xinhuanet)
US tennis star Venus Williams and Russian player Maria Kirilenko were dressed in Hanbok (traditional Korean dress) during the awards presentation ceremony at the Hansol Korea Open on September 30.
Williams is the champion after beating Kirilenko in the final. Besides the prize money, the champ was also presented with a Koryochungja, a vase made of Korean green porcelain.
The tennis stars in Hanbok (Image courtesy of Hansolopen)
Kazakhs are celebrating a folk festival in a four-day singing and horse racing gala which opened Saturday, August 11, in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
Kazakhs playing a traditional sport, which is a combination of tug-of-war, basketball (or soccer) and horce racing (Image courtesy of Crienglish)
Kazakhs (also known as Kazaks, Qazaqs) are people from Middle Asia. Most of them live in Kazakhstan and its neighbouring countries, including Uzbekistan, China and Russia.
There are around 2.2 million Kazakhs in China; not really a small population but still considered as minorities with China’s 1.2 billion people.
Kazakhs are well known for their fierce love of freedom, skillful horse riding and hunting with semi-domesticated eagles.
According to Mainichi, the Japan Sumo Association (JSA) has suspended Asashoryu Akinori for two upcoming tournaments after he played in a charity soccer game in Mongolia despite having sat out a regional sumo tour in Japan after claiming to be injured.
After winning the Nagoya tournament, Asashoryu told the JSA on July 25 that he would not take part in the summer sumo tour, submitting a doctor’s certificate that said his injuries, including a fractured lower back and a damaged ligament, needed some six weeks to heal.
However, instead of resting… Asashoryu played in a charity soccer game in his homeland, prompting JSA officials to criticize him for exaggerating his injury and pulling out of the summer tour.
Japanese news reporting about Asa’s incident; former Japanese soccer star Hidetoshi Nakata was also playing in the charity match…
Iraq won the AFC Asian Cup 2007 after defeating Saudi Arabia 1-0 on Sunday (July 29) at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta, Indonesia.
The Iraq soccer team
Iraqi captain Younis Mahmoud scored the only goal of the match, and Iraq lift the winner’s trophy for the first time in their country history… moment of joy for the war-torn nation.
Iraq fans celebrate AFC Asian Cup victory in Bagdad
