Current location:business >>
Pucksters back in the big time
business2571People have gathered around
IntroductionTeam China players celebrate with the trophy after winning the IIHF Division I Group A World Champio ...
Team China players celebrate with the trophy after winning the IIHF Division I Group A World Championship tournament in Shenzhen, Guangdong province. [Photo/Xinhua]
China promoted back to top division of women's game after 14-year absence
Some tears, a lot of sweat and a deep sense of pride. It's been 14 years in the making, but the Chinese women's ice hockey team is finally back in the big league after securing a long-awaited return to the world championship's top division.
And they did so in some style, dominating last week's IIHF Division I Group A World Championship in Shenzhen, Guangdong province with a perfect 5-0 record to earn promotion to the top flight next year.
The winning streak on home ice at the second-tier I-A tournament ended the team's absence from the top echelon after its last appearance there in 2009.
Captain Yu Baiwei is the only player in the current squad that remains from that 2009 side, and she couldn't hold back the tears after her unwavering efforts over a decade paid off.
"It's been so long and so tough that I had almost given up hope of getting back again. I am so happy that I didn't lose faith and we did it. I am over the moon now," Yu, a 35-year-old defender, said in an emotional postgame interview after Team China beat Austria 2-0 on Thursday to secure promotion with a match to spare.
"I really appreciate our whole team's efforts as one. I want to thank my teammates for helping me make it all worthwhile after spending so many tough years struggling and trying hard.
"It paves the way for us to go for qualification for the 2026 Winter Olympics and we won't stop here for sure," added Yu, who made her national team debut in 2005 at 17.
The I-A championship in Shenzhen involved four other teams — the group's highest-ranked Denmark (11th), Norway, world No 15 Slovakia and the Netherlands.
Team China, who just climbed up from the third-tier I-B tournament last year, opened with a 1-0 victory over Slovakia on Aug 20. Then came an inspirational 5-3 comeback win against Norway before a stunning 4-2 triumph against championship favorite Denmark on Wednesday in what was arguably the highlight of China's campaign.
A 2-1 victory over the Dutch in the final match on Saturday kept the host unbeaten on home ice, while the Danes clinched the second promotion spot with a 4-1 rout of Norway to finish runner-up in Shenzhen.
"I am extremely proud of this whole group. It took everybody to pull this off," said Team China forward Lin Qiqi, known as Leah Lum in her native Canada.
"We fought hard this entire time. We've been here for so long and we deserve to be back in the main group," added Lin, who scored the vital first goal for Team China late in the second period against Austria.
The Chinese and Danes will be up against the world's heavyweights, such as Canada, the United States and Finland, at the 10-team top division tourney at Utica, New York in April next year.
For captain Yu, the return will also allow her to renew rivalries with some of her old foes — legendary Canadian forward Marie-Philip Poulin and her teammate Rebecca Johnston, and Sweden's long-serving goaltender Sara Grahn — the only three pucksters from the rest of the world still playing who competed in 2009 with Yu.
Now set to rejoin those hardy veterans, Yu said the promotion has given her extra motivation to continue her career.
"I am not done yet. As long as I am playing, I will try to deliver my best performances on the ice," she said.
Tags:
Reprint:Friends are welcome to share on the Internet, but please indicate the source of the article when reprinting it.“Global Gaze news portal”。http://martinique.soorot.com/news-96f699882.html
Related articles
Lynn Williams breaks NWSL goal
businessLynn Williams scored her 79th league goal, becoming the National Women’s Soccer League all-time scor ...
【business】
Read moreWhy did Yoon's party lose in South Korea's elections and what troubles does he face now?
businessSEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean voters have handed liberals extended opposition control of pa ...
【business】
Read moreLouisiana lawmakers reject minimum wage raise and protections for LGBTQ+ people in the workplace
businessBATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Measures failed in a House committe Thursday that would have gradually incre ...
【business】
Read more
Popular articles
- Minnesota Uber and Lyft driver pay package beats deadline to win approval in Legislature
- Three killed in Ethiopia shootout as regional rebellions spill into the capital
- Louisiana lawmakers reject minimum wage raise and protections for LGBTQ+ people in the workplace
- Abu Ghraib survivors bring their torture claims to a US court
- Amir Khan's £11.5m luxury wedding venue finally hosts its first marriage: Bride arrives on horse
- Sexual assaults rise in Central African Republic. Wagner, bandits and even peacekeepers are blamed
Latest articles
A warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest was requested. But no decision was made about whether to issue it
Trump: Court finding first Americans to sit in judgment of former president
Russia test
Bangladesh fire: At least 43 dead in Dhaka building blaze
US overdose deaths dropped in 2023, the first time since 2018
Trump to host rally on Biden's home turf in northeast Pennsylvania
LINKS
- Cicadas are so noisy in South Carolina that residents are calling the police
- David Malukas dropped by McLaren after injured IndyCar driver misses 4th race following bike crash
- 3 sports executives in China found guilty of bribery
- Reading campaign launched among college students in China
- Putin likely didn’t order death of Navalny, US intelligence official says
- Guizhou slated to get new national park
- Thailand's foreign minister abruptly resigns after being dropped as deputy prime minister
- Wu Lei brace sees China cruise past Singapore
- Flights and passengers to Harbin hit a record high
- Wang, Lin move into ITTF World Cup knockout stage