Copyright beijingbulletin
BEIJING, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- Here are the latest Chinese sports headlines from the past week: 1. Hong Yanming wins China's first gold at Gymnastics Worlds Debutant Hong Yanming captured the men's pommel horse title on October 24 to win China's first gold medal at the 53rd Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Jakarta, Indonesia. Hong, 19, tied with Armenia's Mamikon Khachatryan on 14.600 points, but won gold on execution advantage. The bronze medal went to Patrick Hoopes of the United States with 14.566. "This is my first world championships, and my goal was just to reach the final," said Hong. "When I saw my name in second place after qualification, I knew I had a chance. I just told myself to relax and do what I do in training. This gold is only the beginning. I hope to contribute more to the team at the Los Angeles Olympics." In the women's uneven bars final, China's Yang Fanyuwei secured the bronze medal with 14.500 points. The event was dominated by Algeria's Kaylia Nemour, who claimed gold with 15.566, while individual neutral athlete Angelina Melnikova took silver with 14.500 but edged Yang under tie-break rules. 2. Olympic champions Sui, Han shine at Cup of China in comeback show Olympic champions Sui Wenjing and Han Cong sparkled at their first public showdown after coming back from retirement, sitting third in pairs short program as the ISU Grand Prix Cup of China kicked off in Chongqing on October 24. Georgia's reigning world junior champions Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava refreshed their personal best in just two weeks to take the lead with 77.77 points, while Italian pair Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii, this year's European runners-up, scored 73.41 to beat Sui and Han narrowly to the third place. "We have no more than a month to get together and prepare for the new program," Sui confessed after her fall during their opening triple toeloop led to a one-point deduction. Skating to the Habanera aria from Bizet's Carmen, the 2022 Winter Olympic gold medalists, who have no ranking points under their names, came first and scored 72.45 points to lead all the way until the final two pairs hit the rink, thanks to a presentation score of 8.57. 3. China beats Ecuador to reach knockouts at U17 Women's World Cup China advanced into the round of 16 at the 2025 FIFA U17 Women's World Cup in Morocco after easing past Ecuador 4-0 in its final Group C match on October 24, scoring all four goals in the first half to secure second place in the group. After the first two rounds, the United States topped Group C with six points, while China and Ecuador were level on three points, with the Steel Roses holding a goal difference advantage heading into the decisive clash. China made a flying start as Zhou Xinyi struck from outside the box in the 10th minute, marking the third consecutive match in which the Steel Roses have scored within the opening 15 minutes. Six minutes later, Zeng Yijie curled home a direct free-kick to double the lead. In the 31st minute, a short corner saw Chen Ruilin break into the area and finish from a tight angle, before Zeng delivered a corner to the back post for Song Yu to head home in the 43rd minute. 4. Olympic champion Ding appointed principal of Beijing sports school China's Olympic champion Ding Ning has been appointed principal of Beijing's Xiannongtan Sports School, four years after her retirement from competitive table tennis. Ding, 35, is a three-time Olympic gold medalist, including her triumph in the singles event at the 2016 Rio Olympics that made her the fifth Chinese female paddler to achieve a career Grand Slam - winning at the Olympic Games, World Championships and World Cup, after Deng Yaping, Wang Nan, Zhang Yining and Li Xiaoxia. After retiring in 2021, Ding pursued a master's degree at Peking University and upon graduating in 2023, became a lecturer in the university's Department of PE. In 2024, she was elected Chair of the Olympic Council of Asia Athletes' Committee. 5. Five-gold athletics surge powers team China at Bahrain AYG Team China made another medal haul on October 24 in Manama at the 3rd Asian Youth Games, claiming six golds, three silvers, and four bronzes, in athletics, taekwondo, and road cycling with athletics contributing the most with five gold, three silver, and two bronze medals. Track was China's main medal event. Lai Jianguang won the boys' 100m, with teammate Lin Xiaohai taking silver. Yang Jia claimed the boys' 400m title, and Yan Xinyi earned bronze in the girls' 100m. China dominated the boys' 5,000m race walk as Zhang Haoze won gold in 21:43.82 and Lu Yujie took silver in 22:28.64. Combined with Liu Shiyi's victory in the girls' 5,000m race walk on Thursday, China swept both events. "We tried to take control from the start," Zhang told Xinhua. "My teammate and I pushed the pace early and stayed in front. There was no complicated tactic-just executing the rhythm from training. It felt humid when we first arrived, but after a few days, we adapted well. We came for the title, so I'm excited and proud to win it."
