Yan Bingtao has risen from a poor working-class background and playing to support his cancer-stricken mother to become China’s latest sporting prodigy.
Peter Stebbings
Female Bodybuilder with One Leg Captures Hearts in China
Tears fill Gui Yuna’s eyes as she describes losing her right leg in a road accident aged seven and school bullies kicking away her crutch to make her fall.
Inspired by Mao, Wuhan River Swimmers ‘Reborn’ after Virus Lockdown
Standing beside a large picture of Mao Zedong, Shen Peihua recalls the moment she resumed her daily swim in the Yangtze River in Wuhan after the Chinese city’s long coronavirus lockdown.
Beating the Odds, Wuhan Horse Racing Gallops Beyond Virus
Blue cushions are up for grabs as masked spectators cheer horses galloping to the finish in Wuhan, ground zero for the pandemic but also a major centre for racing in China.
Can-Do Attitude: Wuhan Virus Lockdown Captured in Craft Beer
When the coronavirus emerged in Wuhan and the Chinese city went into a strict 76-day lockdown, Wang Fan resolved to commemorate the turbulent period in the way he knew best — through beer.
Inspired Teixeira Drags Jiangsu to First Chinese Super League Title
Brazilian forward Alex Teixeira starred as Jiangsu Suning won their first Chinese Super League title with a 2-1 victory over Fabio Cannavaro’s 10-man Guangzhou Evergrande on Thursday.
Millions Online, 6,000 Live See Koreans Win Top eSports Title
More than 6,000 mostly young spectators watched at a Shanghai stadium and millions tuned in online to see Damwon Gaming win the League of Legends world championship on Saturday.
First Down, but not out: Chinese Parents Save American Football Team
Luck ran out on Hangzhou Clovers American Football Club when, after the worst of the coronavirus outbreak in China, the owners allegedly made off with the money.
ESports to Stage World Championship in Shanghai
ESports has bucked a grim trend to stage a world championship in Shanghai, even as numerous international sports tournaments across the globe are wiped out by the coronavirus.
Chinese Swimmer Goes from Olympic Podium to River Police
Jiang Haiqi starred alongside the controversial Sun Yang in winning a historic relay swimming bronze medal for China at the London 2012 Olympics.
‘Hardcore Grandma’ Aging Fitness Buff Becomes TikTok Sensation
Chen Jifang hits the gym for at least two hours every day and has the physique to prove it. At nearly 70, she’s being held up as a shining example as China orders its vast population to get fit and lose the bulge.
Chinese Golfer, 17, Dreams Big After ‘Astonishing’ Start
Yin Ruoning. Remember the name because the 17-year-old Chinese golfer has won three tournaments in a row since turning professional and she wants to become world number one.
London-Born Nico Yennaris: The First Naturalized Soccer Player for China
In March 2015, London-born Nico Yennaris played for Wycombe Wanderers in the fourth tier of English football in front of 2,362 people.
The Practice of ‘Drunken Boxers’ in China Lives On
Liu Xuliang lunges menacingly as if spoiling for a fight after too many drinks. But he is in fact stone-cold sober and an expert in an ancient Chinese martial art known as drunken boxing.
Meet ‘The Assassin’: One of China’s Most Feared MMA Fighters
Before becoming one of China’s most feared MMA fighters, Song Kenan worked as a welder for the country’s rapidly developing high-speed railway. He has no wish to return to assembling trains.
Tibet’s Only Soccer Club Folds Due to High Altitude
Tibet’s first and only professional football team has become the latest in a string of Chinese clubs to fold, following a row over hosting matches in one of the highest cities in the world.
Volleyball Superhero: The Remarkable Rise of China’s Zhu Ting
Zhu Ting stands tall in China — and not just because she is a towering 1.98 meters (6ft 6ins).
Fan Zhiyi, the Chinese Cult Hero Who ‘Rejected Liverpool, Newcastle’
Fan Zhiyi says he turned down a Liverpool offer made by Gerard Houllier in a pub and also rejected Newcastle United, while a trial at Tottenham Hotspur was torpedoed by injury.
Sun Yang: Rise and Fall of a Controversial Champion
Sun Yang’s world and Olympic titles have long been overshadowed by controversy, and the Chinese swimmer’s career could now be over after he was banned for eight years on Friday for a second doping violation.
Man Runs Ultra Marathon in Apartment as China Fights Virus
A fanatical runner jogged the equivalent of an ultra-marathon inside his small apartment as people in virus-hit China desperately try to keep fit while cooped up indoors.