Shanghai will enhance its status as one of Asia's major sports
hubs by staging 37 major domestic and international competitions
this year, municipal spokeswoman Jiao Yang told a news conference
yesterday.
The full bill of major sporting events will also serve to whet
Chinese appetites for the Beijing Olympics.
"These international sport events will help further popularize
the Olympic movement in China," Jiao said. "They are intended to
warm up the Chinese people for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games."
In addition to returning events such as the Tennis Masters Cup,
Formula One Grand Prix and the HSBC golf championship, there are a
few new arrivals, including a world swim meet and the A1 Grand Prix
to add to the city's growing sports portfolio.
The World Swimming Championships (25 meters), which runs from
April 4 to 9, will feature such prominent athletes as multiple
international title holders Brooke Hanson from Australia and
Kaitlin Sandeno from the United States and home favorite Luo
Xuejuan, the gold medalist in the women's 100 meter breast stroke
at the Athens Olympics.
Some 600 swimmers from more than 100 countries will be vying for
40 gold medals at the championships, to be held at the suburban
Qizhong Sports Center.
Before the swimmers make their first splash, however, the city
will host its first A1 Grand Prix World Championship. All eyes will
be on the Shanghai International Circuit between March 31 and April
2, where the fast-growing A1 Grand Prix series, dubbed the World
Cup of motor sports, wraps up its inaugural season. Drivers
competing in the fledgling global tour use identical machines and
race under their country's flag.
Among the other events, the International Cycling Race Chongming
Island and Hong Kong-Shanghai tour will get the adrenaline flowing
among biking buffs, and the Rock Climbing World Cup in Jing'an
District and the World Beach Volleyball Tour Jinshan Open will help
broaden the city's sports vision.
(Shanghai Daily March 16, 2006)