England prepares for Euro 2012 qualifiers

England prepares for Euro 2012 qualifiers

England's Wayne Rooney (C) races Phil Jones (L) and Danny Welbeck during a training session in Podgorica, October 6, 2011. England are due to play Montenegro in a Euro 2012 Group G qualifying soccer match on Friday.

England's manager Fabio Capello holds the ball as he conducts a training session in Podgorica, October 6, 2011. England are due to play Montenegro in a Euro 2012 Group G qualifying soccer match on Friday

England's John Terry stretches during a training session in Podgorica October 6, 2011. England are due to play Montenegro in a Euro 2012 Group G qualifying soccer match on Friday.

(Reuters)

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Walk in each others' shoes

Walk in each others' shoes

Two 120-people teams broke the Guinness world record by walking on 50-meter-long specially designed plank shoes for more than 180 meters at a local sports festival in Hechi, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region on Sept 22.

It was no stroll in the park, but two teams of 120 people broke a world record through teamwork and perseverance, traveling 180m on pairs of plank shoes, Tang Yue writes

You must have seen hundreds or even thousands of people walking together in the same tempo, like a military parade. But what about doing it in one pair of shoes?

Last month, two 120-person squads broke the Guinness world record by walking on 50-meter-long, specially-designed plank shoes for more than 180m at a local sports festival in Hechi, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

Each shoe consisted of nine pieces of wood, linked by hinges and bolts, and 120 half-round iron hoops attached to it, into which you could put your foot. It meant all the people on the super-long shoes had to maintain the same pace to keep moving. Either that, or they would stop or even fall down.

"It was really incredible when we first heard of the idea. It just sounded so crazy," said Wu Boning, 16, from the Jinchengjiang No 1 Middle School.

Walking on the plank shoes is a traditional sport among many Chinese ethnic minorities. However, to do it with five or nine people, as it is usually done, is one thing. To do it with 120 people is another matter.

To complete their "mission impossible", they started with nine people together and gradually increased the amount.

Walk in each others' shoes

Once all 120 people were wearing the shoes, the most difficult part was not to keep moving, but how to start.

"Since the team was so long, if one player said, 'ready, go', the member on the other end may not hear it clearly. So the teacher shouts it alongside," Wei Qiwen, the instructor of the other team, Guangxi vocational school, said.

"But there was still a problem. Some players just started walking at the same time when they heard 'go', while others just paused before moving. Even a very small time difference could stop the squad from moving.

"Sometimes, they were excited to get off to a nice start, but then they lost their tempo and fell."

With so many people in the same shoes, it was just like dominoes, Wei said. Some students, trying not to disrupt their teammates, chose to fall to the side and injured their ankles.

However, it only took the team a week to get into a proper rhythm.

"This is the greatest thing I have ever done in my life," said Wei Minlan, 21. "If there is something called sense of achievement, I think I have a great taste of it.

"Especially when you do it with 119 other people. You just move at the same pace and you feel the power of solidarity.

"I thought I couldn't make it at first, but we did it and broke the world record. Now I want to do it with more people in the future."


(China Daily)

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Home 'advantage' matters

Home 'advantage' matters

Peng Shuai of China returns a shot against Flavia Pennetta of Italy during their first-round singles match at the China Open at the National Tennis Center in Beijing on Monday. Pennetta won 7-6 (6), 7-5.

Zheng Jie is the only Chinese player to reach the second round of Open

BEIJING - Playing at home is not always an advantage as it can often result in more pressure and distractions.

After China's top player Li Na was knocked out on Sunday due to, in her words, a lack of confidence and increasing pressure from outside, China's world No 15, Peng Shuai, also suffered a first-round exit at the China Open on Monday, leaving Zheng Jie as the only Chinese player to reach the second round.

After bouncing back from being a set down to oust Italian Brianti Alberta 4-6, 6-1, 7-5, Zheng put her victory down to her mental strength and support from the home audience. Meanwhile, Peng was eliminated by Flavia Pennetta of Italy 7-6 (6), 7-5.

"Chinese players have to take up more pressure on their home courts, because there are more expectations now," said 28-year-old Zheng. "Also, I am not satisfied with my performance today. It's always hard to play the first game, and I was nervous.

"When I was behind 0-4 in the third set, I thought victory was slipping away, but I told myself not to give up," she said. "To play professional tennis with my physical attributes, I must have something others don't have, which is the determination to hold on until the last minute, and play with a full effort no matter what the circumstances."

Home 'advantage' matters

Zheng said the encouragement of the fans also gave her a lot of confidence, though she blew one match point after hearing a fan shout the ball was out.

"I heard someone shout 'out' at match point, and the umpire said it was not her, but someone in the audience," she said. "The fervent cheers from the audience provide motivation, but they also can increase the pressure.

"Of course, players want to have a quiet environment to play, that's the best, but we can't control the audience, what we can do is adjust our mindsets," said Zheng. "From another perspective, the fans are supporting me. If we try to look at it like that when on court we can put ourselves at ease."

Zheng also revealed she may partner Peng in the women's doubles at the London Olympics.

"I hope we have the chance to play together, but we have to check with our teams," Zheng said. "Peng played well in singles this year, and I also want to lift my single's ranking fast; therefore we need to find out how can we practice doubles together while not affecting our singles form.

"I think we have an 80 percent chance of playing at the Olympics together," she said.

In another match on Monday, world No1 Caroline Wozniacki ousted Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic 3-6, 6-0, 7-5.

(China Daily)

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