BEIJING, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- Here are the latest Chinese sports headlines from the past week:
1. 9th Asian Winter Games celebrates 100-day countdown
The torch, medals and anthem for the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin were officially unveiled on October 30 as the Games celebrated its 100-day countdown.
The torch design takes the form of a blossoming lilac, integrating colors such as China Red, Lilac Purple, and Snow White.
The front of the medals combines the streamlined shape of a racetrack with the emblem of the Games, and the reverse side features a picturesque landscape of Yabuli, with mountain ranges and forests that mirror the terrain of the Greater and Lesser Khingan ranges.
The anthem for the Games is titled "Snow of Harbin".
More than 1,500 athletes from 34 countries and regions have registered to participate in the Games, according to the organizers.
2. Table tennis great Ma Long wins ANOC Outstanding Sporting Career Award
Chinese table tennis icon Ma Long received the Outstanding Sporting Career Award from the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) on October 30, recognizing his exceptional achievements and contributions to the sport.
Ma, 36, has competed in four consecutive Olympic Games since London 2012. Over his Olympic career, he has won six gold medals, becoming China's most decorated Olympian.
At the 2016 Rio Olympics, he clinched his first singles gold, completing a career Grand Slam. Five years later in Tokyo, he defended his title, becoming the first male table tennis player to claim back-to-back Olympic singles titles and achieving the status of the first "double Grand Slam" champion in the sport.
3. Zheng Qinwen claims WTA 500 Pan Pacific Open title
Zheng Qinwen defeated Sofia Kenin of the United States to clinch the title at the WTA 500 Pan Pacific Open on October 27.
The first set saw both players hold serve before Zheng took control of key points to prevail in a tense tiebreak 7-6 (5). The world No. 7 rode on the momentum to break Kenin early and closed out the victory 6-3.
It was Zheng's second WTA tour title of the year after her victory at the Palermo Open.
4. Cui Yongxi makes NBA debut with Brooklyn Nets
Chinese player Cui Yongxi made his NBA debut on October 27 in the Brooklyn Nets' home victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, becoming the seventh Chinese player to step on the court in an official NBA game.
The Nets triumphed 115-102 over the Bucks, securing their first win of the season. Cui subbed in during the fourth quarter and scored one point through a free throw in his 1:58 of action.
Cui's debut marked the first appearance of a Chinese player in the NBA in six years. The forward joins an esteemed list of predecessors, including Yao Ming and Wang Zhizhi.
5. Yao Ming steps down as president of Chinese Basketball Association
Yao Ming has stepped down as president of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) and vice president Guo Zhenming was appointed the new chief, it was announced on October 31.
The former Houston Rockets All-Star center was first elected as CBA president in February 2017 and later became chairman of the board of CBA Company. Yao was re-elected as CBA chief in December 2022, marking a tenure of over seven years with both achievements and setbacks for Chinese basketball.
Under his leadership, the women's national team achieved remarkable success, winning gold medals at two consecutive Asian Games in Jakarta and Hangzhou, and matching its best result at the FIBA Women's World Cup with a runner-up finish in 2022. However, the men's national team faced challenges, failing to qualify for both the Tokyo and Paris Olympics and falling short of the top 16 at the FIBA World Cup in 2019 and 2023. ■