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UFC’s Zhang Weili and Beijing 2022 Olympics hope Eileen Gu lead big year for Chinese women

  • Volleyball team led by star Zhu Ting and coach Lang Ping lead medal charge at delayed Summer Olympics
  • Pioneers such as tennis hall of famer Li Na made history but there is more to make for current generation of female athletes

Reading Time:4 minutes
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UFC women's strawweight champion Zhang Weili of China punches former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk of Poland at UFC 248 in March, 2020. Photo: AP

This year, like any other, China’s women will lead the way to the country’s sporting success. That has been the case for some time, across both team sports and individual.

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Even in sports such as table tennis where China’s men are among the best in the world, the women are stood right alongside them.

The next 12 months are massive for Chinese sport with the delayed Tokyo 2020 Summer Games on the horizon and the Beijing 2022 Winter Games next February.
In recognition of International Women’s Day, we take a look at China’s star female athletes – those who hope to bring China success in the next year and those who have shone in the past.

01:46

Chinese fighter Zhang Weili ready for UFC title

Chinese fighter Zhang Weili ready for UFC title

Zhang Weili – MMA

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“Magnum” has not fought since last March when she defended her strawweight title at UFC 248 in Las Vegas, besting Joanna Jedrzejczyk in the unanimous Fight of the Year. Rose Namajunas is expected to be the 31-year-old’s next defence, and as soon as next month.
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