BEIJING, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Here are the latest Chinese sports headlines from the past week:
1. China claims 12th straight men's, 7th consecutive women's titles at table tennis team worlds
China beat Japan in both finals at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals in London on May 10, winning its 12th straight men's and seventh consecutive women's titles in the tournament.
In the men's final, Liang Jingkun rallied from two games down to beat Japan's top player Tomokazu Harimoto, before world No. 1 Wang Chuqin overcame rising Japanese talent Sora Matsushima in four games. Lin Shidong sealed China's victory after defeating Shunsuke Togami in four games in the third rubber.
The women's final was more intense. World No. 1 Sun Yingsha helped China come back twice to defeat Japan in a five-match thriller, in the two sides' sixth straight final clash in the team worlds.
It marked a record-extending 24th time that China has lifted the Corbillon Cup, with its latest title run beginning from the 2012 edition in Dortmund.
2. China reaches semifinals with win over Saudi Arabia at AFC U17 Asian Cup
China continued its journey at the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup as it advanced to the semifinals by defeating host Saudi Arabia 3-1 in the quarterfinals on May 15.
Saudi Arabia took the lead in the 21st minute when Faisal Bayomi scored following a pass from Ammar Maimani on the left side.
China responded quickly as Wan Xiang equalized in the 27th minute with a strike into the bottom left corner.
China took the lead in the 59th minute when Zhao Songyuan finished from a close range on an assist from He Sifan inside the box.
Saudi Arabia pushed for an equalizer in the closing stages, but China added a third goal in stoppage time through He, whose powerful long-range strike ended Saudi Arabia's hopes and secured China's place in the semifinals, where it will face the winner between Australia and Vietnam.
3. China's Zhao breaks men's speed world record at World Climbing Series in Wujiang
China's Zhao Yicheng broke the men's speed climbing world record for the second time in less than a month on May 10, clocking 4.54 seconds in the semifinal before going on to win gold at the World Climbing Series Wujiang stop.
The 16-year-old lowered his previous world record of 4.58 seconds, which he set at last month's Asian Beach Games in Sanya, by defeating former record holder Samuel Watson in a much-anticipated semifinal showdown.
Watson, who won bronze at the 2024 Olympics and twice broke the world record during the 2024 season, posted 4.67 seconds in the race to take bronze. China's Long Jianguo came second.
4. Lai Yawen elected president of Chinese Volleyball Association
Lai Yawen was elected president of the Chinese Volleyball Association at the body's eighth general assembly on May 12.
Lai, who captained China's women's volleyball team in the 1990s, pledged to carry forward the spirit of China's team and work to address challenges in the sport's reform and development.
"On this new journey, we will remain firm in our convictions and work solidly to contribute to the revitalization of the three major ball sports [football, basketball and volleyball] and the building of a leading sporting nation by bringing new glory to Chinese volleyball," Lai said.
5. CMG secures exclusive media rights for FIFA tournaments in Chinese mainland
China Media Group (CMG) and FIFA announced on May 15 that they had reached an agreement on media rights cooperation for a new cycle of FIFA competitions, including FIFA World Cup in 2026 and 2030.
According to CMG, the agreement also covers FIFA Women's World Cup in 2027 and 2031.
Under the agreement, CMG has secured exclusive all-media rights and sublicensing rights for the Chinese mainland across multiple platforms, including free-to-air television, pay television, internet and mobile broadcasting services.
Cooperation between CMG and FIFA dates back to 1978.
