2 . US Open Championships

The US Open has been in existence for more than 130 years. The first tournament was held in 1881 at the Newport Casino. It was called the US National Singles Championship. Entry was limited to only those clubs which were members of the United States National Lawn Tennis Association, and the competitors were all male, competing in both singles and doubles. Richard Sears won the men's championship and he went on to win the next six men's singles championships.

The Wimbledon

In 1875, the All England Croquet Club was troubled financially due to declining membership. A new sport called lawn tennis was gaining fast in popularity and taking away the members. Two years later, a new roller was needed for maintaining its lawns so the club proposed to hold a tournament to raise money. Twenty-two players entered that first Wimbledon tournament which was won by Spencer Gore in straight sets over W. C. Marshall. Two hundred spectators each paid a shilling to watch the final game, enabling the club to buy the needed roller plus some extra cash.

The French Open

The very first French Championship was way back in 1891, and the tournament has since grown into one of the four tennis Grand Slam tournaments we know today. The first competition was a one-day national championship which was won by a British. The competition was poorly attended by world class players. It took 24 years before it became fully international and an accepted tennis grand slam event. After the First World War, French tennis was achieving stature. Suzanne Lenglen was the predominant French player, winning the championships six times between 1920 and 1926.

The Australian Open

The very first tennis tournament ever played in Australia was held in January 1880, on the courts of the Melbourne Cricket Club. In 1905, the Australian Open was established as the Australasian Tennis Championship and was played at the Warehouseman's Cricket Ground in Melbourne. It became the Australian Championship in 1927 and the Australian Open in 1969. Women's events were added in 1922.

3 . I’m not an athlete, but I am a lover of the Olympics. My biggest sports moment ever didn’t require me to be the fastest, the highest, or the strongest. It just required me to be in the right place at the right time, and catch the opportunity when it came to me. It was to carry our national flag for the Olympic Torch Relay.

As a part of the celebration, flag bearers (旗手) were needed. I served in the army at that time and the Olympic organizers asked for volunteers to help carry some of the flags. Although it demanded that I give up part of my weekends and get up early, I thought that it was the chance of a lifetime.

There were several different groups that took part in the event as flag bearers. We soldiers were going to be out in front leading them. On the day of the event, we arrived early at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Many people arrived to see the flame arrive from Greece, and the beginning of the Olympic Torch Relay. It was exciting to wait for our turn to enter the coliseum.

As a flag bearer, I was supposed to run out in front. Though the flag was fairly heavy, I picked it up and ran with it. I ran past rows of people. I ran through television cameras. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, being able to carry our national flag in an international event like the Olympics. I was very proud of it.

I had never been able to attend the Olympics, and I might never be important enough to carry an Olympic torch or anything like that, but I did get to carry our national flag in the torch relay, although I will no longer have the opportunity to carry the flag in the Olympics, and that would be one sports experience that would be difficult to forget.

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4 . EVENTS

A bike tour and race will be held on August 26 and 27 (Sat & Sun.). At 5:30 am, the riders will leave Tian’anmen Square and ride the first 35 kilometres as a training leg. Then the next 55-kilometre-leg, from Yanjiao to Jixian, will be the first competitive part of the tour. The riders and their bikes will then be takern from Jixian to Changli.

The second racing leg of the tour will be from Changli to the seaside of Nandaihe, covering a distance of 20 kilometres. Saturday night includes the stay at Nandaihe and supper. Sunday morning is free for play at the seaside. At noon all the people and their bikes will be taken back to Beijing.

Cost: 200 yuan          

Telephone: 4675027

The Brazilian Football Club will play Beijing Guo’an Team at the Workers Stadium on August 26. The club has four national team players. Also coming is 1994 US World Cup star Romario who has promised to play for at least 45 minutes.

Ticket prices: 60; 100; 150 yuan

Time/Date: 4:30 pm, August 26 (Sat. )     

Telephone: 5012372

The Third National Rock Climbing Competition will be held on August 26-27 at the Huairou Mountain-climbing Training Base. More than 10 teams from Beijing, Wuhan, Dalian, Jilin and other places will take part in it. A Japanese team will give an exhibition climbing. Free for spectators (观众).

Take a long-distance bus from Dongzhimen to Huairou.

Time/Dates: 9-12 am, August 26 and 27

Telephone: 7143177, 7144850, Wang Zhenghua