Digest

OLYMPICS

Emergency response team for 2022 venue

The ski venue for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics in Chongli, Hebei province, has set up an emergency response team.

Chongli, a district of co-host city Zhangjiakou, is situated 200 kilometers northwest of Beijing. With a total area of 2,334 square kilometers, the mountainous district has 67 percent forest coverage.

Niu Rongjun, a member of the emergency response crew, has been a forest firefighter for 15 years in Chongli, which now boasts seven major ski resorts in total.

"We have 35 members in the new emergency response unit now and the team will expand recruitment to 100," said Niu.

In addition to forest patrol, the emergency response team, the first unit of its kind in Chongli, will provide relief in cases of accidents at venues, fire and flood control and geological disasters.

"We are on duty 24 hours every day to ensure the smooth construction of Winter Olympic venues," said Niu.

TRACK AND FIELD

Chinese sprinter Ge targeting Tokyo final

Ge Manqi

Chinese sprinter Ge Manqi on Thursday said that her goal is to qualify for the women's 100m final at the postponed Tokyo Olympics.

Last Sunday, the 22-year-old Ge set a 200m personal best of 22.69 seconds at an event organized by the Chinese Athletics Association in Fuzhou, Fujian province.

Ge's previous best over the distance was 23.12, with her new mark also representing the fastest 200 time by a Chinese woman since 1998.

"I didn't expect such a good result in the 200m. I just followed the guidance of the coach to maintain my rhythm and I am satisfied with the results," she said.

Ge also won the 100m on Saturday in Fuzhou, clocking 11.31 in the final. "I reached the 100m semifinal at the world championships in Doha, so I want to go one step forward in Tokyo to qualify for the final," she added. Last year, Ge lowered the women's 60m national record to 7.10 and set a 100m PB of 11.04.

TENNIS

British Tour planning closed-door launch

British governing body the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) on Wednesday unveiled plans to hold a series of domestic events for professional players from early July.

The first swing of four new British Tour events will take place over consecutive weeks from July 3-26 at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton, southwest London.

Each event will host 32 singles players (16 men and 16 women), and will be open to the highest-ranked players in Britain.

LTA chief-executive Scott Lloyd said:"The LTA is actively engaged in developing the necessary guidelines for behind-closed-doors events, which we hope will be determined by the government in the coming weeks to ensure the safest environment for anyone involved in returning to competition and look forward to bringing tennis back into people's lives this summer."

BASKETBALL

LeBron outraged over death of unarmed man

LeBron James

LeBron James took to social media on Tuesday to speak out over the death of an unarmed black man seen in a video lying face down while a white police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes.

Four Minneapolis cops were fired on Tuesday over Monday's incident in which a handcuffed George Floyd can be heard repeatedly moaning and gasping while he pleads, "Please, I can't breathe, please, man."

James weighed in on Instagram with a post that referred to Colin Kaepernick, the former NFL quarterback who famously kneeled during the US national anthem to protest against racial injustice.

It was topped with the caption "This...... Is Why." James also wrote in the post:"Do you understand NOW!!??!!?? Or is it still blurred to you?? #StayWoke".

COMBAT SPORTS

UFC, boxing get green light for Vegas shows

Mixed martial arts and boxing are back in business in Nevada.

The Nevada Athletic Commission unanimously agreed on Wednesday to allow two UFC events and two Top Rank boxing shows in Las Vegas over the next two weeks.

The decision ends the moratorium on combat sports that has been in place in Nevada since March 14, when the commission stopped competition amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The UFC immediately confirmed its plans to stage a show without fans in attendance on Saturday night at the UFC Apex arena on its corporate complex in Las Vegas, followed by the UFC 250 pay-per-view show at the same place on June 6.

Top Rank is expected to hold fan-free boxing shows at the MGM Grand on June 9 and 11.

Citing the importance of sports to the state's economy and morale, Nevada governor Steve Sisolak announced on Tuesday that sporting events could return if promoters followed health rules approved by the appropriate authorities.

SOCCER

Messi looking forward to 'weird' resumption

Lionel Messi

Barcelona and Argentina captain Lionel Messi said he was eager to start playing again but thought La Liga games behind closed doors would feel "weird".

After weeks being confined like the rest of Spain by the coronavirus pandemic, Messi is training with Barca again ahead of a planned resumption of La Liga behind closed doors on the weekend of June 12.

"We cannot think about what we are leaving behind this year. It is better to think about the future," said Messi on the website of sports brand Adidas.

"Like going back to day-to-day training, seeing your teammates, playing your first few games. No doubt it will be strange at first, but I am looking forward to competing again!"

Xinhua - Agencies