The Chinese Central Television Broadcast (CCTV) recognized the best athletes, coach and teams of China in an Oscar-like ceremony in Beijing on Friday night.
During a glamorous television ceremony of 2001 CCTV sports awards, world diving champion Tian Liang and world table tennis champion Wang Nan were selected as sportsman and sportswoman of the year and each took home a small statue without prize.
The team of the year award was given to China table tennis team who won all the seven titles at 2001 World Table Tennis Championships.
Head coach of China table tennis team Cai Zhenhua was name the coach of the year.
China men's soccer team won the breakthrough of the year award for its debut at World Cup finals.
The newcomer of the year award came to Feng Jing. The 16-year- old Feng snatched the men's individual all-around title of 2001 World Gymnastics Championships.
The first Chinese to cross English channel Zhang Jian won the Sportsman of the year in a non-Olympic sport.
The lifetime achievement award was given to IOC executive board member He Zhenliang.
Wang Nan and the first Chinese basketball player at NBA Wang Zhizhi were also honored at most popular athletes of the year which voted by sports fans.
CCTV Sports Awards winners are chosen through a process somehow similar to Laureus Sports Awards. Three hundred leading sports journalists have joined the Selection Panel, which nominate five candidates for each of the award categories.
The athletes are eligible for nomination based on performances on the year. The Expert Selection Committee, which consist of a panel of world champions and sports officials of China, thereafter voted for the award winner.
The process of nomination will be collated by an independent auditor and submitted to the Organizing committee, who will then announce the winners.
The nominations of this year's awards - which include 35 persons and teams, were announced at a separate ceremony on February.
Ma Guoli, chairman of the Organizing Committee, said the awards is to boost participation in sport and to increase and enhance the positive influence of sports in China.
Cen Chuanli, the vice-director of CCTV sports center, said, " The annual awards will continued afterwards. It aims to be the most credible annual sports awards ceremony in China. It will be China sports' equivalent of 'Oscars'."
(People’s Daily March 25, 2002)
