China Sports Weekly (1.26-2.1)

BEIJING, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Here are the latest Chinese sports headlines from the past week:

1. Asian Winter Games Athletes' Village begins operations

Harbin's newly renovated and upgraded Huaqi Hotel has officially opened on January 26 to welcome athletes and officials for the 9th Asian Winter Games.

The Huaqi Hotel, located in the same complex as the Main Media Center and the venues for the opening and closing ceremonies, will serve as the Athletes' Village for the ice sports competitions.

Built in 2005, the Huaqi Hotel has 41 floors and 625 rooms. During the Games, more than 900 athletes and accompanying officials will stay at the hotel.

2. Chinese Wang carves his name in X Games history

Chinese snowboarder Wang Ziyang went viral online after executing a breathtaking triple front flip in the men's snowboard knuckle huck at the 2025 X Games in Aspen, Colorado on January 24.

The victory not only secured Wang his first X Games title but also made history as he became the first Chinese athlete to win this event.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in Urumqi County, in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, his mother, Yang Xiuhua, was still at work when she heard the news and could not hide her excitement.

3. Analysis: CBA title contention far from over

As the final stage of the 2024-2025 Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) regular season nears, the title race remains highly competitive, with at least seven teams in contention. The Zhejiang Lions lead the league with a 31-4 record, showcasing exceptional defense and strong performances from Hu Jinqiu and Sun Minghui.

Meanwhile, the Shanxi Loongs sit in second due to their high-scoring offense, while reigning champions, the Liaoning Flying Leopards, have struggled with injuries. With only four points separating the second to ninth places, the upcoming rounds promise an exciting conclusion to the season.

4. MMC of Harbin Asian Winter Games goes into official operation

With a week to go before the opening ceremony of the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin, the Main Media Center (MMC) was officially put into operation on January 31.

Located in the Harbin International Conference, Exhibition and Sports Center, the MMC consists of the Main Press Center (MPC) and the International Broadcasting Center (IBC).

5. Harbin Asian Winter Games to release new batch of tickets

A new batch of tickets for the upcoming 2025 Harbin Asian Winter Games has been on sale at 3 p.m. on February 1, according to the organizers.

Tickets on sale include 94 sessions of ice events, including ice hockey, speed skating, short track speed skating, figure skating, and curling.

Starting at the same time on Saturday, tickets for all 12 sessions of snow events, including cross-country skiing, freestyle skiing aerials, and half-pipe, have also been available for free. However, spectators will need to reserve them on a first-come, first-served basis.■