The news report below reveals the reason why Steven mysterious appeared in Nanjing. Bet he was enroute to Changchun to participate in the reported badminton tournament.
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Global Chinese Badminton Tournament include celebrities: Gao Ling and Steven Ma.
This coming Sunday, September 2nd, the 19th Red Bull Global Chinese Badminton Tournament will be held in Changchun Wuhuan Gymnasium. This year event attracted 1536 participants, among them Gao Ling, a retired Olympics gold medalist champion.
Apparently, this tournament was jointly initiated in 1993 by a group of cross-strait badminton enthusiasts sharing a common interest and wanting to compete in a traditional international badminton tournament. Its mission statement is "Make friends through sports, learn through playing with opponents, improve health through physical fitness, unite Chinese people". “以球会友，切磋球艺，强身健体，团结华人”. Since its inception, the highest number of participants ever registered has reached 3000. The participants came from all over the world including overseas badminton clubs from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei, Korea as well as Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and from all walks of life including celebrities, retired badminton instructors, and former athletes and former world champions, making this tournament a very high profile event attracting much interest from the public.
The tournament is divided into categories: by age, by singles, doubles, mixed doubles, married couples, etc. Furthermore, the requirements for registration are pretty low, so long the participants are badminton enthusiasts and 25 years and above they can register.
Among the 1500 over participants for tomorrow's event is the champion of 2000 and 2004 Olympics mixed doubles, Gao Ling (高崚). Representing Hong Kong Li Ning Badminton Club, her events are mixed doubles, and women's doubles. Former members of national teams including Li Han Nan, Li Hao Nan, Xie Xin, and Chen Zhiben, also registered.
Besides them, Hong Kong TVB well known siu sang, Steven Ma, also representing Hong Kong Li Ning Badminton Club, has registered, too. Apparently, Steven Ma is an avid badminton buff and he is also well acquainted with the national badminton team members. After the London Olympics, as the badminton ambassadorial host in Hong Kong, Steven even entertained Lin Dan and the mixed doubles duo during their recent goodwill visit in Hong Kong.
This time Steven will also get into the badminton competitive fray. Undoubtedly, with more celebrity participation in the tournament, it will receive more attention and interest from the public.
source: Changchun Daily 8/30/2012 (excerpt)
credit: Steven-Ma.org
TN: Guess Steven will partner Gao Ling in the mixed doubles match. Good for him, and good luck!
8/16 21:42 P.S. Had on one of the new jerseys belonging to the club I belong. Nice or not? Club = the same badminton club as Gao Ling's, Hong Kong Lin Ning Badminton Club
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