BEIJING, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Here are the latest Chinese sports headlines from the past week:
1. China rings in 2025 with sports celebrations of tradition, health, and joy
On January 1, 2025, millions across China kicked off the year with sports, blending tradition, health, and happiness into their New Year celebrations. From Shijiazhuang's 50th New Year's Day long-distance run with 20,000 participants, to nearly 2,000 sports enthusiasts welcoming the first light atop the Great Wall, active living took center stage.
Gen Z in Hangzhou embraced local culture through the "Pray for Blessings and Exercise" event, while winter sports soared in Xinjiang with night skiing and mountaintop parties. The day was also filled with thrilling CBA and CTTSL finals, making sports a vibrant part of the holiday spirit.
2. Olympic badminton champion Huang to retire from Chinese national team
Badminton Olympic champion Huang Yaqiong announced on social media on January 1 that she has submitted her resignation to the Chinese national team and officially bid farewell to her national team career.
After finishing runners-up at the Tokyo Olympics, Huang and her partner Zheng Siwei won mixed doubles gold at the Paris Olympics, finishing the tournament with a 6-0 record without dropping a set.
3. China's sports industry achieves total output of 3.6741 trillion yuan in 2023
The total output of China's sports industry reached 3.6741 trillion yuan (approximately 503 billion U.S. dollars) in 2023, with an added value of 1.49 trillion yuan, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics and the General Administration of Sport of China on December 31, 2024.
Based on the fifth national economic census results, the sports industry accounts for 1.15 percent of the country's GDP, marking an increase of 0.07 percentage points compared to the previous year.
4. China held 671 marathons, road races in 2024
China held 671 marathons and road running races in 2024 with 6.56 million participants, according to an official figure released on January 3.
Wang Xiaoying, treasurer of the Chinese Athletics Association, said the events covered 31 provincial-level regions, 261 cities, 537 districts and counties.
5. China's Village Super League ushers in football exchanges with Ethiopia
A football invitational event between a team of young football lovers from Ethiopia and their Chinese counterparts kicked off on December 31, 2024, in Rongjiang County, southwest China's Guizhou province.
Rongjiang County, the birthplace of the Guizhou Village Super League, also known as "Cun Chao," has gained attention in China and globally due to locals' passion for football and the area's rich ethnic cultures.■