Today marks the start of a big couple of weeks for Rory McIlroy in China. His second-place finish in last week’s Korea’s Open, despite an awful third round, would suggest he’s back to something approaching his best, but as the papers never fail to remind him, he remains without a win this year – and after five wins (including a major) in 2012, that’s quite a comedown. Here’s his upcoming schedule:
Well, not exactly, but lucky, lucky Chinese sports fans will now be able to watch the Scottish Premiership (previously known as the SPL) on PPTV, a popular Chinese online TV streaming platform. Details of the deal haven’t been released, but you have to imagine PPTV isn’t paying anything for the rights, and the SPFL isn’t in much of a state to pay to place their league on Chinese screens, so it would likely be a low risk venture on both sides: free content for PPTV and a chance to grow the brand (such as it is) for the SPFL. There must be some money in it though, since it was brokered by MP & Silva, the SPFL’s new international licensing parter. Continue reading China’s next big thing: Scottish football
Today is one of those rare sports days in the Chinese capital, especially given that it’s a Tuesday. For those with nothing better to do (and plenty of money), you can spend the day watching the Tour of Beijing, which finishes its fifth and final stage near the Bird’s Nest today. Then head into the stadium itself to see the Brazilian national soccer team play. Leave at half time and jump into your helicopter to head to the west of town in time to catch some of the game between the LA Lakers and the Golden State Warriors at the Mastercard Arena.
Continue reading Beijingers spoilt for choice: Brazil or the Lakers?
Stephon Marbury – the American despised at home, but loved in China – has signed a new contract with the Beijing Ducks that will keep him in the capital until 2017. The man is so popular here that they built him a statue and he’s even been touted as a future national team coach for China. Below is an extract from this week’s Sports Talk column:
Continue reading Stephon Marbury signs new three-year contract with Beijing Ducks
Mika Hakkinen won his first race since 2007 on Saturday, despite having being away from competitive motor sport for two years. Hakkinen had partnered up with 17-year-old Hong Kong driver Matt Solomon at the GT Asia series stop in Zhuhai in southern China to represent Australia’s Erebus Motorsports in a one-off race weekend event to promote AMG.
Continue reading Hakkinen wins on return to motor racing in China [UPDATED]
[UPDATE: Mika Hakkinen qualified in 7th position for Race 1, so still getting up to speed in the car. Matt Solomon qualified in 3rd place for Race 2 but he’s competing against all the other lower-ranked drivers, whereas Hakkinen’s times are compared against the pros. Hakkinen will start Race 1 and hand over to Solomon roughly half way through, and they will swap shifts in Race 2 on Sunday, with Solomon starting. UPDATE 2: AF Corse’s Ferrari was bumped to last on the grid for having an illegal exhaust, so Hakkinen starts in 6th on Saturday, while Solomon will start in 2nd]
I got the chance to interview two-time F1 world champ Mika Hakkinen in Zhuhai yesterday. He is there in his role as brand ambassador for AMG, but this time’s he’s actually racing. For the first time in two years – his last competitive race was also in Zhuhai – Hakkinen will take part in the GT Asia series, partnering with 17-year-old Hong Kong driver Matt Solomon.
Continue reading Mika Hakkinen back on the track in China [UPDATED]
The pictures of golfers wearing face masks during the Reignwood LPGA Classic this past weekend in Beijing made far bigger headlines than Feng Shanshan’s dramatic victory on home soil. But apparently there is something worse than the smog.
Chinese golf fans.
Continue reading World no. 3 says Chinese fans worse than pollution, quits Twitter
Xi Jinping likes his soccer. So much so, in fact, that the game put him out of action for two weeks last year while he was playing with his staff, sparking rumors of a mysterious disappearance, according to the South China Morning Post. He also likes to talk about the beautiful game: way before his “Chinese Dream” became de rigeur, he had a soccer dream – that China would first qualify for, then host, and finally win, the World Cup.
Continue reading Chinese President Xi Jinping is dreaming again
It should have been a triumphant weekend of sports for Beijing: China’s female golfing star, Feng Shanshan, took the inaugural Reignwood LPGA Classic by a single shot thanks to an eagle on the very last hole, the dream men’s final in the China Open tennis tournament saw no. 1 seed Novak Djokovic beat no. 2 seed Rafael Nadal, while on the women’s side Serena Williams won the tenth title of what is arguably the best year of her career.
But instead, everyone was talking about the weather.
Continue reading Pollution turns dream sporting weekend into nightmare
It’s not just the women golfers who have been affected by Beijing’s lovely air this week. The China Open tennis reaches its conclusion today, and while the top players are too media savvy to say anything negative about the pollution in the Chinese capital, Sweden’s Robert Lindstedt has been more forthcoming:
So now I am in Beijing again. The city that cuts of days from your life every time you visit and breathe what they call air here. It’s a joke how smoggy it is here! I wonder what illnesses people will have here in about 20 years.
And a few days later:
Continue reading Pro tennis player slams Beijing pollution, fans wear masks [PHOTOS]