The Modern China route of the Paralympic torch relay made its final stop before Beijing yesterday, here in this port city in Liaoning province.
The event began at 9:45 am at the Star Sea Square in the center of the city - which recently welcomed the Olympic torch relay - before traveling 3.8 km to Dalian Forest Zoo.
Seventy people served as torchbearers, 14 of them physically disabled, and carried the flame along its winding route through the city's business district, residential areas and popular local beauty spots.
The honor of completing the opening leg was handed to Li Yang, one of the founders and current chairman of the Dalian Disabled Persons' Federation, the first such organization to be set up in China. Li lost both of his legs to polio at the age of 3.
"I have always loved sports despite losing my legs and my disability will never stop me from taking part in sport," he said.
"I don't think sport belongs to just athletes. It's good for everyone, and disabled people can use it to help build confidence.
"This is a great day for me and it's a great day for all disabled people in Dalian," he said.
"I would like to thank all those people from all walks of life who have helped make the lives of disabled here so much better."
Dalian has been at the forefront of promoting public awareness of the needs of people with physical disabilities.
Over the past 20 years, the city government has spent more than 400 million yuan on improving facilities and services for people with physical handicaps.
The 26th torchbearer of the day was Li Chunji, the coach of Liaoning's Paralympic wheelchair racers.
"I have been training disabled athletes for 20 years, and two of my students will compete in Beijing.
"So I feel like my dream has come true," he said.
The torch for the Modern China route was transferred to Beijing yesterday afternoon, where it will be used for a two-day tour of the capital before heading to the Bird's Nest for the Games' opening ceremony.
The Ancient China route of the torch relay will make its final call today in Luoyang, Henan province.
Xinhua contributed to the story
Source: China Daily
Friday, September 5, 2008
Swiss sports minister praises "truly exceptional" Beijing Olympics
Swiss defense and sports minister Samuel Schmid on Wednesday highly praised the organization work of the Beijing Olympic Games, which concluded on Aug. 24.
"The Swiss people and I have been very impressed by the quality of organizing of these Games," Schmid told Xinhua in a written interview.
"I would like to congratulate the authorities and the Chinese people for this magnificent result," he said.
Asked whether he agreed with Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee , who described the Beijing Games as "truly exceptional", Schmid said the IOC president "is well placed to make an assessment".
"And the feedback I received from the event confirmed that assessment," he added.
The minister said one of the strengths of the Olympic Games is that they allow the world to learn about the host country, and vice versa.
"I think this is particularly true in the case of your country," he said. "The Games are a showcase for the organizing country. And China has seized this opportunity."
The Swiss delegation won altogether six medals, including two gold ones, during the Beijing Games, exceeding its target of five, which was the number it won in Athens four years ago.
Schmid said he was proud of the success and the impression produced by the Swiss Olympic team.
"All athletes have done their best and have brought honor to the country. For me, the mission is accomplished," he said.
The minister will soon start a visit to Beijing for the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games.
"This visit will give me the opportunity to discover the magnificent facilities that your country has built for the Olympics," he said.
He also expressed hope that the Swiss Paralympic delegation would have good performance in Beijing.
"For me, disabled athletes have already won a medal even before the start of the competitions," he said. "Their great achievement is to show us that disability does not prevent performance."
Swiss president Pascal Couchepin attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics on Aug. 8.
Source: Xinhua
"The Swiss people and I have been very impressed by the quality of organizing of these Games," Schmid told Xinhua in a written interview.
"I would like to congratulate the authorities and the Chinese people for this magnificent result," he said.
Asked whether he agreed with Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee , who described the Beijing Games as "truly exceptional", Schmid said the IOC president "is well placed to make an assessment".
"And the feedback I received from the event confirmed that assessment," he added.
The minister said one of the strengths of the Olympic Games is that they allow the world to learn about the host country, and vice versa.
"I think this is particularly true in the case of your country," he said. "The Games are a showcase for the organizing country. And China has seized this opportunity."
The Swiss delegation won altogether six medals, including two gold ones, during the Beijing Games, exceeding its target of five, which was the number it won in Athens four years ago.
Schmid said he was proud of the success and the impression produced by the Swiss Olympic team.
"All athletes have done their best and have brought honor to the country. For me, the mission is accomplished," he said.
The minister will soon start a visit to Beijing for the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games.
"This visit will give me the opportunity to discover the magnificent facilities that your country has built for the Olympics," he said.
He also expressed hope that the Swiss Paralympic delegation would have good performance in Beijing.
"For me, disabled athletes have already won a medal even before the start of the competitions," he said. "Their great achievement is to show us that disability does not prevent performance."
Swiss president Pascal Couchepin attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics on Aug. 8.
Source: Xinhua
Newcastle denies manager Keegan has been sacked
Newcastle United said on Tuesday Kevin Keegan was still its manager after a day of speculation that he had been sacked after just eight months in the job.
Thousands of angry fans flocked to the club's St James' Park ground in the city center after word spread that "King Kev", as Newcastle fans affectionately call him, had either been sacked or had resigned as the club's boss.
However in a statement on its official website , Newcastle said Keegan was still in charge.
"Kevin has raised a number of issues and these have been discussed with him," the statement said.
"The club wants to keep progressing with its long term strategy and would like to stress that Kevin is extremly important both now and in the future.
"Newcastle United values the effort and commitment shown by Kevin since his return to St James' Park and want him to continue to play an instrumental role as manager of the club.
"For the avoidance of doubt the club has not sacked Kevin Keegan as their manager."
Neither Keegan, 57, or the club itself made any official comment on the speculation until early in the evening.
But many fans e-mailed news organizations saying they would boycott the club if he went and called for the board, led by billionaire chairman Mike Ashley to resign. Hastily-made banners carried the same message.
Keegan returned to Newcastle as manager in January, 11 years after his sudden departure from the job in January 1997, and has been in control for only 21 matches, winning just six times.
Newcastle has made a decent start to the new season, winning one, drawing one and losing one of its opening three league matches and is sitting comfortably in mid-table with four points. It also beat Championship club Coventry City away in the League Cup last week.
Keegan was hailed as the club's savior when he returned to St James' Park after it parted company with Sam Allardyce, who himself had only been in charge for half a season.
However, Keegan had a difficult start, failing to win any of his opening eight league matches.
More recently, some of his diehard fans criticized his support of midfielder Joey Barton, who Keegan backed last month following his release from a prison sentence for assault.
With domestic action making way this weekend for a round of World Cup qualifiers, Newcastle's next match is against Hull City at St James' Park on Sept 13.
Source: China Daily/Agencies
Thousands of angry fans flocked to the club's St James' Park ground in the city center after word spread that "King Kev", as Newcastle fans affectionately call him, had either been sacked or had resigned as the club's boss.
However in a statement on its official website , Newcastle said Keegan was still in charge.
"Kevin has raised a number of issues and these have been discussed with him," the statement said.
"The club wants to keep progressing with its long term strategy and would like to stress that Kevin is extremly important both now and in the future.
"Newcastle United values the effort and commitment shown by Kevin since his return to St James' Park and want him to continue to play an instrumental role as manager of the club.
"For the avoidance of doubt the club has not sacked Kevin Keegan as their manager."
Neither Keegan, 57, or the club itself made any official comment on the speculation until early in the evening.
But many fans e-mailed news organizations saying they would boycott the club if he went and called for the board, led by billionaire chairman Mike Ashley to resign. Hastily-made banners carried the same message.
Keegan returned to Newcastle as manager in January, 11 years after his sudden departure from the job in January 1997, and has been in control for only 21 matches, winning just six times.
Newcastle has made a decent start to the new season, winning one, drawing one and losing one of its opening three league matches and is sitting comfortably in mid-table with four points. It also beat Championship club Coventry City away in the League Cup last week.
Keegan was hailed as the club's savior when he returned to St James' Park after it parted company with Sam Allardyce, who himself had only been in charge for half a season.
However, Keegan had a difficult start, failing to win any of his opening eight league matches.
More recently, some of his diehard fans criticized his support of midfielder Joey Barton, who Keegan backed last month following his release from a prison sentence for assault.
With domestic action making way this weekend for a round of World Cup qualifiers, Newcastle's next match is against Hull City at St James' Park on Sept 13.
Source: China Daily/Agencies
Nasri keen to emulate Pires with France and Arsenal
Samir Nasri said on Tuesday he hoped to emulate fellow midfielder Robert Pires by having a successful club career at Arsenal that would also secure his international place with France.
Nasri, 21, who joined the Londoners from Olympique Marseille in July and marked his Premier League debut with a winner against West Bromwich Albion last month, is one of a new generation of players coming into France's team.
Asked about his career in England, he told reporters: "You're playing with the cream of European football.
"It will allow me to get up to international standard and play a part in the French team."
Pires, who also played at Marseille before capturing five major trophies with Arsenal, was a key figure for his country.
He scored 14 goals in 79 matches, helping France win the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 before falling out of favor with coach Raymond Domenech.
Speaking at France's training center, where he is preparing for the World Cup qualifier against Austria on Saturday, Nasri said Pires was both an inspiration and a difficult act to follow at Arsenal.
Pires successor
"They were expecting a successor to Robert Pires. It's flattering but hard to live up to," he said. "I would like to have the career he had at Arsenal."
Nasri said the club's strong French connection, built up under coach Arsene Wenger, had helped him.
"The integration has gone well. The team is very young and there are a lot of French there so I don't feel out of place."
On the international front, Nasri won the first of his 12 caps against Austria in March 2007, having a hand in the goal in a 1-0 friendly victory in Paris.
It could be a good omen for the game in Vienna on Saturday when France will look to turn the page on its dismal group-stage exit from Euro 2008.
"Austria is a good memory, it was my first match but the context is different," he said.
"After the disappointment we had at the Euros we can't allow ourselves to take any match too easily."
Sensing his chance, Nasri said the younger players now had an opportunity to make their mark in Domenech's side.
"With some players going I hope I can bring more than before," he said. "It's up to us to show what we can do."
Source: China Daily/Agencies
Nasri, 21, who joined the Londoners from Olympique Marseille in July and marked his Premier League debut with a winner against West Bromwich Albion last month, is one of a new generation of players coming into France's team.
Asked about his career in England, he told reporters: "You're playing with the cream of European football.
"It will allow me to get up to international standard and play a part in the French team."
Pires, who also played at Marseille before capturing five major trophies with Arsenal, was a key figure for his country.
He scored 14 goals in 79 matches, helping France win the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 before falling out of favor with coach Raymond Domenech.
Speaking at France's training center, where he is preparing for the World Cup qualifier against Austria on Saturday, Nasri said Pires was both an inspiration and a difficult act to follow at Arsenal.
Pires successor
"They were expecting a successor to Robert Pires. It's flattering but hard to live up to," he said. "I would like to have the career he had at Arsenal."
Nasri said the club's strong French connection, built up under coach Arsene Wenger, had helped him.
"The integration has gone well. The team is very young and there are a lot of French there so I don't feel out of place."
On the international front, Nasri won the first of his 12 caps against Austria in March 2007, having a hand in the goal in a 1-0 friendly victory in Paris.
It could be a good omen for the game in Vienna on Saturday when France will look to turn the page on its dismal group-stage exit from Euro 2008.
"Austria is a good memory, it was my first match but the context is different," he said.
"After the disappointment we had at the Euros we can't allow ourselves to take any match too easily."
Sensing his chance, Nasri said the younger players now had an opportunity to make their mark in Domenech's side.
"With some players going I hope I can bring more than before," he said. "It's up to us to show what we can do."
Source: China Daily/Agencies
More than one mln tickets for Beijing Paralympics sold
A total of 1.19 million tickets for Beijing Paralympic Games, or 72 percent of the Games total tickets, have been sold as of early September, said an official recently.
Sun Weijia, official with the media operation department of the Beijing Organizing Committee of the 29th Olympic Games , said as of Sept. 1, 1.19 million tickets of Beijing Paralympics had been sold and 6,325 journalists had applied to the organizing committee for covering the upcoming Games.
On Sept. 2, some extra tickets for events in the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube, the two most recognized venues of the Beijing Paralympics, were available to meet public demand and the tickets for events in the Water Cube were again sold soon.
Some Beijing Paralympics events, such as track and field, wheelchair fencing, boccia, wheelchair basketball, as well as opening and closing ceremonies will be broadcast live, said Sun.
Source: Xinhua
Sun Weijia, official with the media operation department of the Beijing Organizing Committee of the 29th Olympic Games , said as of Sept. 1, 1.19 million tickets of Beijing Paralympics had been sold and 6,325 journalists had applied to the organizing committee for covering the upcoming Games.
On Sept. 2, some extra tickets for events in the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube, the two most recognized venues of the Beijing Paralympics, were available to meet public demand and the tickets for events in the Water Cube were again sold soon.
Some Beijing Paralympics events, such as track and field, wheelchair fencing, boccia, wheelchair basketball, as well as opening and closing ceremonies will be broadcast live, said Sun.
Source: Xinhua
UK Sport leads British athletes to world success
Established in 1997 by Royal Charter and funded by a mix of Exchequer and Lottery income, UK Sport works in partnership with British sports councils and other agencies to lead sport development in the UK to world success. Its primary goal is to support and deliver UK success at the Olympics and Paralympics.
"We do not work with every sport. Such sport innovation is seen as the last piece of the performance jigsaw for us, so we must have talented athletes, maybe the top in the world, before we can really provide them with our solutions," said UK Sport's Research and Innovation Consultant, Dr Scott Drawer.
All of UK Sport's work is done by finding the very best people in the UK and across the world to help provide these solutions to sport. So the job of the UK sport is to act as the bridge between the very best expertise in the world and sport.
A lot of other people do benefit from the knowledge and development UK Sport works on, but its solutions are always delivered to the best athletes who can compete in the Olympics and Paralympics in Beijing in 2008, and hopefully in London in 2012. It is always with the elite group because they are the ones that matter most.
"A good way to look at what we do is equivalent to Formula One team, or maybe the American Cup team. It is not university-academic driven, and it is driven by the need to go fast, and find ways to solve the solutions," noted Dr. Drawer.
The major areas UK Sport works in are in equipment and accessories for athletes. It has some of its multiple medal-winning sports such as cycling, sailing, rowing, big pieces of equipment, which it looks to re-design, develop, so they can be faster.
The area that UK Sport works in is called coaching technology. This is about providing coaches, scientists and medics with the tools to measure the aspects of performance with the athletes. This may include such things as the GPS devices, to measure the position of the athletes, measuring force, power, and speed by taking the lab to the field, and get the information back to the coach as quickly as possible. So they can adjust their training schemes.
Currently, UK Sport, as part of preparation for Beijing 2008, works with a number of sports, including cycling, sailing, rowing, canoeing, swimming as well as diving. In diving for example, it helped design and build water harnesses on a diving board in the roof of the diving course, which enables divers to learn difficult dives, and coach can maintain their safety.
In rowing a kind of instrumentation on the oars has been developed, which measures the force and speed of the boat, and send the information back to the coach.
In swimming the newly-developed software tool can capture video, and from the video coaches get the race analysis, for example, to look at the split time, time to turn, and UK Sport collects the data, with the coach to help look at areas that swimming can be improved.
In athletics, it has developed a measurement tool that tracks projectiles for throw event. When an athlete throws javelin, the tool can measure speed of release, angle of release and distance throw and it can provide the information instantly.
Another big area UK Sport works on is the training science, which focuses on training monitoring, nutrition strategies and recovery. That is to understand training processes and training inputs - how you train and when you train. It is about understanding how athletes load, and maximise their recovery. So the training can be much quicker and more efficient.
And the final area UK Sport works on is medical management. It is not only looked in a more effective way to treat injuries, but also the way to reduce injuries. And the last part of management is illness. UK Sport tries to avoid over-training and overload to prevent illness from occurring, especially during the wintertime in UK.
UK Sport works with a number of different people, sometimes with commercial companies, because the performance problems need to be delivered really really quickly. Sometimes it works with universities as well, probably because the best method to deliver its question requires long-term control investigation.
What UK Sport also does is to provide opportunities for scientists, medics and coaches to come up with ideas. Their programme, "Idea for Innovation" is to encourage university students who are passionate for sports to send in their innovative projects. With the project done for the Olympics and Paralympics, a lot of elite students have sent in their projects. UK Sport will give the winner 25,000 pounds, which can enable them to carry on their proposals. It pays for them to pursuit projects for a longer period of time.
"One of the things that is important to us is to recognize we do not know everything, and we believe our sport coaches and athletes also do not know everything. So we try to get other people to provide great ideas, which will be conducive to sports and athletes," added Dr. Drawer.
By People's Daily Online
"We do not work with every sport. Such sport innovation is seen as the last piece of the performance jigsaw for us, so we must have talented athletes, maybe the top in the world, before we can really provide them with our solutions," said UK Sport's Research and Innovation Consultant, Dr Scott Drawer.
All of UK Sport's work is done by finding the very best people in the UK and across the world to help provide these solutions to sport. So the job of the UK sport is to act as the bridge between the very best expertise in the world and sport.
A lot of other people do benefit from the knowledge and development UK Sport works on, but its solutions are always delivered to the best athletes who can compete in the Olympics and Paralympics in Beijing in 2008, and hopefully in London in 2012. It is always with the elite group because they are the ones that matter most.
"A good way to look at what we do is equivalent to Formula One team, or maybe the American Cup team. It is not university-academic driven, and it is driven by the need to go fast, and find ways to solve the solutions," noted Dr. Drawer.
The major areas UK Sport works in are in equipment and accessories for athletes. It has some of its multiple medal-winning sports such as cycling, sailing, rowing, big pieces of equipment, which it looks to re-design, develop, so they can be faster.
The area that UK Sport works in is called coaching technology. This is about providing coaches, scientists and medics with the tools to measure the aspects of performance with the athletes. This may include such things as the GPS devices, to measure the position of the athletes, measuring force, power, and speed by taking the lab to the field, and get the information back to the coach as quickly as possible. So they can adjust their training schemes.
Currently, UK Sport, as part of preparation for Beijing 2008, works with a number of sports, including cycling, sailing, rowing, canoeing, swimming as well as diving. In diving for example, it helped design and build water harnesses on a diving board in the roof of the diving course, which enables divers to learn difficult dives, and coach can maintain their safety.
In rowing a kind of instrumentation on the oars has been developed, which measures the force and speed of the boat, and send the information back to the coach.
In swimming the newly-developed software tool can capture video, and from the video coaches get the race analysis, for example, to look at the split time, time to turn, and UK Sport collects the data, with the coach to help look at areas that swimming can be improved.
In athletics, it has developed a measurement tool that tracks projectiles for throw event. When an athlete throws javelin, the tool can measure speed of release, angle of release and distance throw and it can provide the information instantly.
Another big area UK Sport works on is the training science, which focuses on training monitoring, nutrition strategies and recovery. That is to understand training processes and training inputs - how you train and when you train. It is about understanding how athletes load, and maximise their recovery. So the training can be much quicker and more efficient.
And the final area UK Sport works on is medical management. It is not only looked in a more effective way to treat injuries, but also the way to reduce injuries. And the last part of management is illness. UK Sport tries to avoid over-training and overload to prevent illness from occurring, especially during the wintertime in UK.
UK Sport works with a number of different people, sometimes with commercial companies, because the performance problems need to be delivered really really quickly. Sometimes it works with universities as well, probably because the best method to deliver its question requires long-term control investigation.
What UK Sport also does is to provide opportunities for scientists, medics and coaches to come up with ideas. Their programme, "Idea for Innovation" is to encourage university students who are passionate for sports to send in their innovative projects. With the project done for the Olympics and Paralympics, a lot of elite students have sent in their projects. UK Sport will give the winner 25,000 pounds, which can enable them to carry on their proposals. It pays for them to pursuit projects for a longer period of time.
"One of the things that is important to us is to recognize we do not know everything, and we believe our sport coaches and athletes also do not know everything. So we try to get other people to provide great ideas, which will be conducive to sports and athletes," added Dr. Drawer.
By People's Daily Online
Southwest China's Baise to host China-ASEAN basketball tourney
The China-ASEAN CBO Basketball Invitational will be held in Baise city, southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in December, Yin Guanghuan, vice secretary general of CBO organizing committee, said at a press conference on Thursday.
Baise is the city where China's late leader Deng Xiaoping led the famous Baise Uprising in 1929.
Source:Xinhua
Baise is the city where China's late leader Deng Xiaoping led the famous Baise Uprising in 1929.
Source:Xinhua
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