More Table Tennis in the Year of the Dog

Photo: 刘国梁's Weibo

Happy Chinese New Year, readers! It's Chinese New Year, and as always, that means holidays and many celebrations. As we are still enjoying the long holiday, the Chinese athletes are busy in all sorts of activities, such as showing up in a Chinese New Year Gala and training for the upcoming Team World Cup this February in London.

The Chinese New Year Gala

The Chinese New Year Gala is an annual entertainment for every Chinese in the New Year holiday. This year Shanghai TV produced a sport-themed Chinese New Year Gala aired on the second day of the lunar year, 17 February, (filmed on 31 January). The gala featured many Chinese outstanding athletes including Ding Ning, Wang Manyu, Ma Long, Fan Zhendong and Lin Gaoyuan. They sang a song "Small Ball, Big Dream" together and Ding Ning played a match against an amateur player, Zhao Lei, who is a PE teacher from Henan. 

Some Chinese athletes get to enjoy a long holiday during the Chinese New Year while some have to get back in training as the 2018 Team World Cup is approaching. Coach Wu Jingping posted on his Weibo on 18 February that the training for Team World Cup members in in full swing. Other than Ma Long, Xu XIn, Fan Zhendong, Lin Gaoyuan and Yu Ziyang, Yan An, Zhou Kai, Liu Dingshuo, Xue Fei and Wang Chuqin are training with the World Team.

Photo: 吴敬平教练's Weibo

Photo: 吴敬平教练's Weibo

I wish you good health, happiness and fulfillment in 2018 and in the Year of the Dog. Just want to share your feelings on the Gala? Are you looking forward to the 2018 Team World Cup? Comments below and let me know what's up!