https://www.scmp.com/rss/322596/feed Pavel has been contributing to the SCMP since 2016. He writes about sport, outdoor recreation and the environment. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Eating mushrooms, even common shiitake and button mushrooms, is one of the best dietary choices you can make. Not only are mushrooms high in protein and low in fat, but research shows different varieties are packed with natural chemical compounds that may be capable of preventing cancer, boosting the immune system, slowing cognitive decline and relieving depression. There are estimated to be more than 14,000 mushroom species worldwide, of which just over 2,000 are edible. The global mushroom... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3196724/5-must-try-mushrooms-full-health-benefits-china-you-probably-havent-heard?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3196724/5-must-try-mushrooms-full-health-benefits-china-you-probably-havent-heard?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Oct 2022 03:15:08 +0000 Xu Can is no stranger to pressure – the Chinese boxer has been living with expectations of greatness his entire life. Ever since his father, Xu Xiaolong, decided that Xu Can was destined to be a fighter, he has been living with those demands on his shoulders. That might explain why the loss of his WBA featherweight world title to Leigh Wood last year sent the 28-year-old into a deep depression that took months to recover from. Next month, Xu makes his comeback against Brandon Benitez in Tampa... https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3193872/chinas-monster-xu-can-aims-roar-back-against-brandon-benitez-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3193872/chinas-monster-xu-can-aims-roar-back-against-brandon-benitez-and?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Sep 2022 00:45:10 +0000 China’s “Legion” of top trail runners are hoping to continue their recent success at next month’s Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) in Chamonix after returning to the race calendar with a splash. The sport has undergone explosive growth in China in recent years, with athletes reaching the very top of the game. Before the pandemic, runners like Shen Jiasheng, Zhao Jiaju, Xiang Fuzhao, Qi Min and Yao Miao were tussling with rivals from traditional powerhouse nations Italy, France, Spain, and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3186395/chinas-top-trail-running-legion-leave-pandemic-behind?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3186395/chinas-top-trail-running-legion-leave-pandemic-behind?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Jul 2022 06:36:54 +0000 Few expected to see an unknown 16-year-old girl from China get the better of world champions and Olympic medallists at the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) World Cup this month. But Luo Zhilu’s historic third-placed finish in Brixen, a town in northern Italy, was emblematic of a sport that has been booming in China, whose climbers are steadily improving – and fast. Hundreds of climbing gyms have been opening up across China, with the government supporting the growth of the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3182870/meet-luo-zhilu-16-year-old-forefront-chinas-climbing-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3182870/meet-luo-zhilu-16-year-old-forefront-chinas-climbing-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Jun 2022 00:00:25 +0000 When Dmitry Bivol arrived home triumphantly at St Petersburg airport after shocking boxing’s pound-for-pound No 1 Saul “Canelo” Alvarez this month, he was given a hero’s welcome by a crowd of fans – and a rendition of the cult Russian song, Gruppa Krovi. Meaning “blood type”, the lyrical choice was a nod to Bivol’s heritage. Gruppa Krovi is written by Viktor Tsoi, a Russian rock legend who, like Bivol, is Korean-Russian. Koreans first arrived in large numbers in the Russian Empire about 150... https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3179856/who-dmitry-bivol-humble-korean-russian-roots-behind-boxings-newest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3179856/who-dmitry-bivol-humble-korean-russian-roots-behind-boxings-newest?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 May 2022 11:15:18 +0000 Hip resurfacing surgery is a little like Terminator manufacturing in reverse – instead of making killer cyborgs by growing human flesh on a metal skeleton, worn-out bones are lined with metal in living humans. Part-man, part-machine, these hips mimic the natural structure of the joint so well that star athletes who have them continue to fly high: Russian fencer Artur Akhmatkhuzin won an Olympic gold with a resurfaced hip, UK tennis ace Andy Murray returned to professional tournaments and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3167508/ultrarunner-has-hip-resurfacing-looks-race-ultramarathons?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3167508/ultrarunner-has-hip-resurfacing-looks-race-ultramarathons?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Feb 2022 09:15:13 +0000 Climbing is fast becoming one of China’s most popular sports, and hundreds of climbing gyms have sprung up in first-tier cities where white-collar professionals can afford the membership and the equipment, which can be more expensive than in Europe. But climbing is not just the preserve of the nation’s more affluent urbanites, and one of the country’s best female climbers is a cook from Liuzhou, in the Guangxi Autonomous Region. Lu Chunfeng, or Xiaolu to her friends because of her small stature,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3161016/cook-elite-climber-liuzhou-natives-rise-making-rice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3161016/cook-elite-climber-liuzhou-natives-rise-making-rice?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Dec 2021 00:15:20 +0000 Chinese runners Zhao Jiajiu and Xiang Fuzhao may feel 21 days of quarantine is worth the sacrifice after dominant performances on Sunday in the Thailand by UTMB race over the country’s highest peak – Doi Inthanon in the northern province of Chiang Mai. With no opportunities to compete at home, Zhao and Xiang headed off to the “Roof of Thailand” for the 168km race that takes runners past stunning landscapes. The pair were in front from the starting gun and at 40km, Xiang, the reigning Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3159409/thailand-utmb-china-runners-dominate-chiang-mai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3159409/thailand-utmb-china-runners-dominate-chiang-mai?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Dec 2021 10:23:00 +0000 Even the most finely engineered machines experience wear and tear over time. Our bodies are no exception. One key joint in particular is subject to damage through overuse: the hip. As the cartilage between the ball of the thigh bone, known as the femur, and the pelvis, wears away, osteoarthritis sets in. Bone starts grinding on bone, causing pain which can eventually become unbearable. This process usually takes place over decades, which is why most hip replacements – a surgery to replace the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3148973/why-athletes-find-themselves-needing-hip-surgery-midlife?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3148973/why-athletes-find-themselves-needing-hip-surgery-midlife?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Sep 2021 21:15:24 +0000 When Aleksandr “Sania” Sorokin finally stopped running on the August 29 in a park in Poland, there were no cheering crowds. They missed the breaking of one of the longest-standing endurance records – how far a human can run in 24 hours. Sorokin ran 309,399 kilometres, beating by almost six kilometres the mark set in 1997 by the legendary Yiannis Kouros, a record that was considered unbeatable. Forty-year-old Sorokin, from Lithuania, has few rivals in the purest form of ultra-running – racing,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3147745/meet-aleksandr-sorokin-lithuanian-breaking-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3147745/meet-aleksandr-sorokin-lithuanian-breaking-world?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Sep 2021 00:00:16 +0000 This year’s post-pandemic return of Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB), the world’s biggest trail running race, was overshadowed by tragedy when a Czech runner died in a fall. The organisers decided to continue with the event, and unprecedented numbers of spectators were treated to historic performances by champions Courtney Dauwalter and Francois D’Haene. Michel Poletti, UTMB co-founder, told the Post that, following the tragedy, the emotions on the start line was part-sombre reflection,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3147679/utmb-enjoys-spectacular-rebirth-surprise-winners-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3147679/utmb-enjoys-spectacular-rebirth-surprise-winners-and?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Sep 2021 03:08:56 +0000 Francois D’Haene of France won a record fourth men’s title at the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc on Saturday, but the performance of the day belonged to America’s Courtney Dauwalter. Not only did the 36-year-old win the UTMB women’s title for the second time, but she finished seventh overall – in a field packed with the biggest names in the sport. Before the start, the conditions appeared to be a recipe for a historically fast race, with talk that the 20-hour barrier could be broken for the first... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3146780/utmb-francois-dhaene-claims-record-fourth-mens-title?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3146780/utmb-francois-dhaene-claims-record-fourth-mens-title?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Aug 2021 06:03:36 +0000 The “Little Sister” of the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc – the 101km Courmayeur-Champex-Chamonix (CCC) – was won by Thibaut Garrivier of France, who broke a course record, and Marta Molist Codina of Spain, running her first 100km race on Friday. With perfect conditions for a fast race, the battle for the men’s title was expected to be between defending champion Luis Alberto Hernando from Spain and Stian Angermund of Norway. The Norwegian, a shorter distance and vertical race specialist, began his... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3146737/utmb-ccc-thibaut-garrivier-and-marta-molist-codina-win?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3146737/utmb-ccc-thibaut-garrivier-and-marta-molist-codina-win?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Aug 2021 06:55:46 +0000 Blandine L’Hirondel of France and UK’s Jonathan Albon won the 55km Orsieres-Champex-Chamonix (OCC) – the shortest of all the main UTMB races – in breathtaking fashion on Thursday, with both winners breaking racecourse records. The OCC, which starts in Switzerland and finishes in France, is known as a “hard and fast” event favoured by speedy runners. The racecourse consists of three major climbs, and it is on the last one – to the ski resort of La Flegere, the race is often decided. The 2021... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3146592/utmb-occ-blandine-lhirondel-and-jonathan-albon-claim?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3146592/utmb-occ-blandine-lhirondel-and-jonathan-albon-claim?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Aug 2021 04:49:20 +0000 A Czech runner died in a fall during the 145km Sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie (TDS) on Wednesday, the first fatality in the history of Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) in Chamonix, France. At 12.25am local time, a Czech athlete sustained severe injuries after falling on the steep descent from Passeur de Pralognan, where runners need to use fixed ropes to make their way down. A helicopter was called in for the rescue but the runner’s life could not be saved. Race organisers expressed their... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3146354/czech-runner-dies-utmbs-tds-race-first-fatality-running?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3146354/czech-runner-dies-utmbs-tds-race-first-fatality-running?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Aug 2021 10:15:40 +0000 The Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB), a week-long festival of trail running held in France’s mountain sport mecca of Chamonix, is back this year after the 2020 edition was cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic. Between August 23-29, the world’s best trail runners will go head to head in the Alps, competing in seven different races up to 300 kilometres long. The main race, that gives the whole event its name, is the UTMB – the 170km circumnavigation of Mont Blanc. UTMB co-founder Michel Poletti told... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3145889/utmb-2021-rebirth-sees-mont-blanc-trail-races-return?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3145889/utmb-2021-rebirth-sees-mont-blanc-trail-races-return?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Aug 2021 07:47:22 +0000 The Chinese government has banned all ultramarathon-styled races in the wake of the tragedy that saw 21 runners die during the Yellow River Stone Forest 100km Trail Race in Gansu province. On May 22, during a mountain cross-country competition, 21 runners died after being caught in a sudden storm and freezing temperatures. The tragedy shocked China and the rest of the world. The race organisers were heavily criticised on a number of fronts in terms of safety planning and logistics. The tragedy... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3135842/china-bans-all-ultramarathon-and-long-distance-races-after-gansu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3135842/china-bans-all-ultramarathon-and-long-distance-races-after-gansu?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Jun 2021 03:00:30 +0000 They started suddenly about six months ago and nobody really knows why. In December, a herd of 15 elephants, including mothers with their young, left their tropical forest home of Puer prefecture in southwest China’s Yunnan province and started marching north. After 400km (250 miles) they are still on the move and less than 100km from the provincial capital of Kunming, a distance an adult elephant can cover in a day. On the way, the herd has strolled through villages and towns, and down... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3135331/chinese-elephant-herd-hits-road-quest-through-urban-jungle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3135331/chinese-elephant-herd-hits-road-quest-through-urban-jungle?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 May 2021 10:57:04 +0000 The running community in China is in shock and mourning after twenty-one runners lost their lives in atrocious weather in a mountain ultramarathon held in Baiyin City, Gansu Province, in the North West of the country. The event, called Yellow River Stone Forest 100km Trail Race, was in its fourth edition with over 170 runners taking part. The incident took place on May 22. Officials in Baiyin city issued a public apology, pledged to investigate the tragedy and provided compensation to the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3135226/china-ultramarathon-disaster-what-happened-during-storm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3135226/china-ultramarathon-disaster-what-happened-during-storm?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 May 2021 10:00:18 +0000 In Hong Kong, parents of children with intellectual disabilities often live with a feeling of guilt. They blame themselves for their child’s condition, explains one low-income, single mother who cares for a son with Down’s syndrome who is now in his 30s. Holding back tears, she says she didn’t want to share her name to protect him. Hoping to somehow boost their child’s development and to show love, many such mothers overfeed their children, explains dietitian Sally Poon Shi-po. To make matters... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3134294/hong-kong-charity-offers-free-diet-advice-and-guidance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3134294/hong-kong-charity-offers-free-diet-advice-and-guidance?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 May 2021 03:30:14 +0000 The Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) Group has announced the launch of the UTMB World Series – a global, multilevel circuit of trail running races organised in partnership with Ironman Group. The series is the new qualification system for the original UTMB in Chamonix and will replace the Ultra-Trail World Tour (UTWT) from 2022. The World Series will comprise at least 30 major trail running races. The UTMB week in Chamonix will now double as the World Series Finals, with the winners of the 50km... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3132443/utmb-and-ironman-join-forces-world-series-and-pathway?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3132443/utmb-and-ironman-join-forces-world-series-and-pathway?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 May 2021 08:00:15 +0000 Trail runner is a human species regularly spotted by hikers in mountainous regions from Italy to Japan. To an untrained eye, trail runners may appear similar in behaviour and appearance, but to the initiated, they come in many varieties, each one shaped by a unique evolutionary path. Here is a brief guide to common trail runner types that you can observe at race start lines in Hong Kong. Euro Ace He soloed his first 4,000m peak in the Euro mountains as an embryo and skied professionally before... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3129359/what-kind-trail-runner-are-you-euro-ace-or-crossfitter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3129359/what-kind-trail-runner-are-you-euro-ace-or-crossfitter?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Apr 2021 00:00:07 +0000 You may have heard of Iten, but have you heard of Karnali? The town of Iten in Kenya is famous as a running factory that produces world and Olympic champions. Professional and amateur runners now flock to Iten to train. Nepal has its own version of Iten – a remote town of Jumla in Karnali province in the Himalayan foothills. A local called Hari Rokaya overcame poverty and lack of prospects by becoming a runner and competing in two Olympic Games. He then founded a running academy, Karnali Sports... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3128925/kenya-has-iten-nepal-has-karnali-produce-international?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3128925/kenya-has-iten-nepal-has-karnali-produce-international?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Apr 2021 12:00:09 +0000 Surfing may have started in China, long before anyone elsewhere picked up a board to ride a wave. The origin of surfing is usually traced to Polynesia, but research by Italian surfing historian, writer and coach Nicola “Nik” Zanella, points at a wave-riding culture in China that existed at least since the Song dynasty (960AD to 1279). Zanella, who graduated in Chinese studies and learned Mandarin in China, came across descriptions of wave riding in classical Chinese literature, and then told the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3123769/did-surfing-start-china-1000-years-ago-ancient-poems-and-art?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3123769/did-surfing-start-china-1000-years-ago-ancient-poems-and-art?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Mar 2021 01:00:15 +0000 Remember when you bought your first pair of running shoes, put them on, went outside and started running? In 2021, we know this to be as reckless as rushing straight into the ocean to figure out big wave surfing after buying your first surfboard. Or learning rock climbing by free soloing. Now we have professionals that will gradually and safely prepare you for the highly technical, dangerous sport of running. First, you must let the experts determine if you are physically capable of resisting... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3122525/how-be-runner-forget-running-its-all-about-body?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3122525/how-be-runner-forget-running-its-all-about-body?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Feb 2021 04:00:21 +0000 When Sunmaya Budha’s parents heard on the radio that she came third in a running race, they were extremely surprised. Their 17-year-old daughter old was supposed to be dutifully studying – after all, she had convinced them to delay arranging her marriage and let her leave the village to get an education. She certainly was not supposed to be running. Budha was told to return home immediately and get married. Neighbours talked about her scandalous behaviour. But she refused. Alone, with no income... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3119724/nepalese-runner-budha-escapes-arranged-marriage-make?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3119724/nepalese-runner-budha-escapes-arranged-marriage-make?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Jan 2021 04:53:38 +0000 An explosion in popularity in climbing in China could propel it to gold, now the sport has been included in the Olympics, though the delayed Tokyo Games might be a decade too early. Indoor climbing has become many parents’ choice of sport for their children, and the Olympics inclusion boosted both the profile of the sport and the support it receives from the authorities. Chinese professional climbers are now winning medals at top international events and domestic competition is booming. “I would... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3119413/could-china-dominate-indoor-climbing-next-decade-now?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3119413/could-china-dominate-indoor-climbing-next-decade-now?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Jan 2021 01:00:17 +0000 Beijing is a global city famous for its symbols of Chinese history, governance and culture. It is not, however, known for its connection to mother nature.  But those prejudices may not be entirely accurate, and young people across the city are discovering a fact about the city: it boasts a remarkable biodiversity, especially for birds.  Li Siqi is one of these young birding enthusiasts. The 20-year-old woman took up the hobby in 2013 after she, “took a photo of a pretty bird and then started... https://www.scmp.com/society/want-be-beijing-cool-try-bird-watching/article/3118679?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/want-be-beijing-cool-try-bird-watching/article/3118679?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Jan 2021 10:01:05 +0000 Three hip young women from Beijing led by Li Siqi, also known by the nickname Crazy Birdy, are birdwatching around Mount Ling on the outer reaches of the Chinese capital. Twenty-something Li has been keen on the hobby since 2013. “I took a photo of a pretty bird and then started looking online to find out what it was,” she says. “That got me interested.” Li now has an environmental education company that takes families birdwatching, and she also teaches children about nature and birds both in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3118345/birding-cool-china-and-birds-beijing-are-more-varied-youd?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3118345/birding-cool-china-and-birds-beijing-are-more-varied-youd?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Jan 2021 20:15:13 +0000 North Korea hosted a small trail running race in 2015 – open to foreign runners – and as the country seeks to promote inbound adventure and sports tourism, more such races are expected to follow. There are also signs of North Korean elite road runners trying mountain running; last year a relay mountain race was held outside Pyongyang with the country’s top sports clubs taking part. North Korea is a country of marathon runners. Jang Song-ok won the women’s marathon at the 1999 World Athletics... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3117258/trail-running-north-korea-could-take-after-covid-19?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3117258/trail-running-north-korea-could-take-after-covid-19?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Jan 2021 00:00:06 +0000 There may be just one surfer in North Korea, introduced to the sport by an exploring Italian who spotted a break on Google Earth. Now other North Koreans are following suit. “Nobody likes to surf alone,” said Nicola ‘Nik’ Zanella, coach of Lee Sung-chol, possibly North Korea’s only surfer. “Sung-chol told me that he wished he had people to surf with.” Zanella, 53, started surfing at 14, part of the “first generation of Italian wave riders”. He mapped out the surfing spots of Italy, explored the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3116478/chinas-olympic-surfing-scout-makes-waves-north-korea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3116478/chinas-olympic-surfing-scout-makes-waves-north-korea?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Jan 2021 06:46:01 +0000 Seizures of smuggled wild animals are so big in Hong Kong that they are measured in the tens of tonnes. In 2019 alone, according to government figures, 30 tonnes of endangered species – live birds, insects, reptiles, fish and mammals – were seized. The figures exclude animal parts such as ivory and pangolin scales, and the wood of endangered trees. Despite the huge volumes involved, law professor Amanda Whitfort says the situation is “the elephant in the room that nobody wants to see”. “Wildlife... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3109378/how-illegal-trade-endangered-wild-animals-could-be-curbed-law-change-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3109378/how-illegal-trade-endangered-wild-animals-could-be-curbed-law-change-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Nov 2020 23:15:07 +0000 Jesse Yang Mengheng lost both arms at the shoulders as a child but that did not stop him pursuing a life in sport. Endowed with athletic talent, he seemed destined for the highest stage, but injuries and bad luck ended his professional sporting career. Yang then excelled academically, graduating from an elite university and earning an MA from Cambridge. Now 30, he is also an inspirational motivational speaker and educator. “Yi bai tu di” is a Chinese saying that means a defeat that leaves you... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3109355/how-beat-adversity-losing-both-arms-child-pro-athlete?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3109355/how-beat-adversity-losing-both-arms-child-pro-athlete?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Nov 2020 00:00:13 +0000 You could be forgiven for thinking that trail running is about running. No, those days are long gone. If you want to look like a real runner, and a hardcore one at that, follow these simple tips. Stay well clear of international marathons. They require no technical gear and yield little to no content for your social media – the best you can hope for is a shot of you showing horrendous running form, face contorted into a grimace of undignified exhaustion. Also, nobody is impressed by a top 5,000... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/how-guides/article/3106020/how-become-badass-runner-without-doing-much-running-lot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/how-guides/article/3106020/how-become-badass-runner-without-doing-much-running-lot?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Oct 2020 00:00:20 +0000 An ancient Chinese classic describes how southern China’s Pearl River Delta was inhabited by “every kind and variety of strange beasts, so many, it is impossible to remember”. Today, however, 50 million people live in the almost continuous concrete sprawl of cities including Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan and Macau with a combined economy larger than that of South Korea. Humans have seen off most of the “strange beasts”, including tigers and alligators, but one predator is still... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3105270/scent-otters-hong-kong-secretive-nocturnal-carnivores-are-holding-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3105270/scent-otters-hong-kong-secretive-nocturnal-carnivores-are-holding-out?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Oct 2020 21:15:14 +0000 Nepal is one of the world’s largest exporters of labour but the Covid-19 pandemic left hundreds of thousands of Nepalis working in India jobless, and a mass exodus started in March and continued through the summer. The sheer number overwhelmed Nepal’s infrastructure and resources, but a running academy in the mountains of western Nepal mobilised their resources and networks and helped avert a humanitarian crisis. Soon after the pandemic was announced, Nepali authorities closed the borders to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3102665/covid-19-sees-labour-exodus-india-nepali-running-club?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3102665/covid-19-sees-labour-exodus-india-nepali-running-club?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2020 09:00:14 +0000 Chinese trail races are making a comeback after a hiatus since February due to the coronavirus, and now some events have thousands of runners. Unlike in Europe, where runners now abide by “new normal” race protocols such as staggered starts, masks, and social distancing, organisers in China are relying on a track-and-trace system, health codes and mass testing to keep the race experience as close to the “old normal” as possible. Chinese runners are now booking out every race, but the recovery is... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3099854/chinas-trail-races-return-old-normal-after-coronavirus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3099854/chinas-trail-races-return-old-normal-after-coronavirus?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Sep 2020 01:00:15 +0000 It remains a mystery to scientists why large swathes of coral in Hong Kong waters suddenly died in March 2015. Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park in Sai Kung district alone lost 90 per cent of its population of Platygyra, one of the main local coral types, and then another mass die-off followed in 2016. Surveys conducted by the Hong Kong government’s Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department found that considering the extent of the loss, natural regrowth would take an extremely long time. “We may... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3098062/tiles-designed-and-3d-printed-hong-kong-restore-corals-may-be-key-saving?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3098062/tiles-designed-and-3d-printed-hong-kong-restore-corals-may-be-key-saving?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Aug 2020 21:15:07 +0000 Ekaterina (Katya) Mityaeva is Russia’s best female trail runner. Her path to the top has taken her through a variety of sports and one day she hopes to stand atop the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) podium. According to the International Trail Running Association (ITRA), in the 34 races she has completed, Mityaeva managed 33 top-10 finishes, 19 top-three results, and 12 victories in premier mountain races around the world. The Russian considers her fourth place at 2019 UTMB as her best result.... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3097891/russias-ekaterina-mityaeva-climbs-trail-running-ranks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3097891/russias-ekaterina-mityaeva-climbs-trail-running-ranks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Aug 2020 02:00:29 +0000 Russia already has two UFC champions. Zabit Magomedsharipov, from the Russian republic of Dagestan, could soon become the third. Another promising Dagestani fighter, Muslim Salikhov, was signed by UFC in 2017 and won his last four bouts. Zabit and Salikhov, practitioners of traditional Chinese martial art wushu sanda, are humble and courteous to a fault. The only thing media have to talk about are their performances in the Octagon. These traditional martial arts values were instilled in them... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3096590/how-dagestans-shaolin-temple-produced-ufc?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3096590/how-dagestans-shaolin-temple-produced-ufc?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Aug 2020 07:18:04 +0000 A parent of a child with Down’s syndrome faces a daunting concern, notes Jeff Rotmeyer: “You are afraid either way, that you are going to outlive your kid, or that your kid will outlive you – who is going to take care of him or her then?” As a volunteer soccer coach with Hong Kong Down Syndrome Association, Canadian-born Rotmeyer saw several of his students die young, in their 30s, despite Hong Kong having one of the longest life expectancies in the world. In 2017, he set up Love 21 Foundation... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3094556/most-rewarding-coaching-ever-downs-syndrome-adults-taught?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3094556/most-rewarding-coaching-ever-downs-syndrome-adults-taught?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Jul 2020 21:00:19 +0000 Dr Caroline Dingle is used to the sight of terrified songbirds for sale in Hong Kong markets, and it’s clear which ones are not used to being in captivity. “They bang themselves on the sides of the cage trying to get out,” says the evolutionary ecologist and head of the Conservation Forensics Laboratory at the University of Hong Kong (HKU). “On any given day there are about 1,000 exotic birds for sale as pets [in the city]”, she adds, and the trade is “quickly emptying the forests of Southeast... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3092329/new-method-combat-illegal-wildlife-trade-reveals-whether-animals-were?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3092329/new-method-combat-illegal-wildlife-trade-reveals-whether-animals-were?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Jul 2020 09:30:10 +0000 China has produced three male world champions in professional boxing. Women, though, have gone one better – four have won world titles. In 2006, Gao Lijun won the WBA featherweight belt. Zhang Xiyan took the WBA super featherweight crown in 2007 and Wang Yanan added the WBC middleweight world title the following year. The latest in line is southpaw Cai Zongju, who won the IBF world minimumweight title in 2017. Growing up in a village near the city of Yangtai in Shandong province, Cai, an... https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3090517/meet-cai-zongju-former-boxing-world-champion-shrugging-gender?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3090517/meet-cai-zongju-former-boxing-world-champion-shrugging-gender?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Jun 2020 01:00:10 +0000 The new president of the International Trail Running Association (ITRA) is taking the body in a different direction, one based on technological innovation, independence and expansion in the US. In March this year the founder and president Michel Poletti stepped down after seven years in charge, and his successor is American Bob Crowley. A trail runner and organiser with 30 years in the sport, Crowley is a technology entrepreneur turned private equity investor. “I just turned 65,” Poletti told... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3082253/new-itra-president-bob-crowley-plans-develop-bodys?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3082253/new-itra-president-bob-crowley-plans-develop-bodys?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2020 00:00:14 +0000 Most boxers who turn professional have already spent years sharpening their skills on the amateur scene. Not China’s Xiong Chaozhong. When Xiong turned pro at the age of 23, the only grind he had come to know was pushing carts out of the coal mines for 13 cents a day, working 10-hour shifts.  He is a member of the Miao (Hmong) ethnic minority, and he started laboring at 17. He had dropped out of school to help support his family, who lived in the countryside of Wenshan, in the south of Yunnan... https://www.scmp.com/sports/how-coal-miner-became-chinas-first-world-boxing-champion/article/3080035?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sports/how-coal-miner-became-chinas-first-world-boxing-champion/article/3080035?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2020 11:46:42 +0000 Most boxers who turn professional have already spent years sharpening their skills on the amateur scene. Not China’s Xiong Chaozhong. When Xiong turned pro at the age of 23, the only grind he had been doing was pushing carts out of the coal mines for 10 yuan a day, working 10-hour shifts. From the Miao (Hmong) ethnic minority, he started labouring at 17, having dropped out of school to help support his family who lived in the countryside of Wenshan, in the south of Yunnan province. But it did... https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3079894/xiong-chaozhong-coal-miner-turned-pro-boxer-who-became-chinas-first?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3079894/xiong-chaozhong-coal-miner-turned-pro-boxer-who-became-chinas-first?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2020 01:00:26 +0000 Before the Covid-19 pandemic, there was another outbreak caused by the same family of coronaviruses that wreaked havoc in Asia. The SARS epidemic of 2002-03 sickened over 8,000 and killed nearly 800 people. In 2017, Chinese scientists managed to trace the source of that virus to a bat species in a cave in Yunnan Province, southwestern China. Dotting the mountainous landscape of Yunnan and neighboring Guizhou, the caves have been the haunt of explorers for centuries. There are even spelunking... https://www.scmp.com/travel/inside-chinese-caves-where-sars-may-have-originated/article/3077767?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/travel/inside-chinese-caves-where-sars-may-have-originated/article/3077767?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2020 09:44:54 +0000 Until a few months ago, roughly half of all foreign tourists in Russia were Chinese. Then, in January, Chinese tour groups vanished from the streets of Moscow and St Petersburg after Russia banned the entry of Chinese citizens following the coronavirus outbreak. The introduction of visa-free entry for Chinese tour groups in 2015 set off an explosion of Chinese tourism in Russia, their number surpassing two million visitors in 2018, according to the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism. While... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3077285/how-chinese-russia-pried-china-tourism-trade-russian?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3077285/how-chinese-russia-pried-china-tourism-trade-russian?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2020 09:00:12 +0000 Russian UFC star Petr Yan is in line to be challenging for the American promotion’s bantamweight title soon. But he’s had a much uglier fight to contend with back home. Yan, whose fighting nickname is “No Mercy”, is blond and blue-eyed. He hails from the small town of Dudinka in the Siberian Arctic and describes himself as a “Russian, Orthodox Christian man”. However, Yan’s Instagram post of a controversial Russian social activist led to him being abused online – on account of his Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3077262/russian-ufc-fighter-petr-yan-hits-back-online?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3077262/russian-ufc-fighter-petr-yan-hits-back-online?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2020 08:25:23 +0000 The logo of Spartan obstacle course races – a Greek warrior helmet – is one of the world’s most recognisable brands. Every year over a million people in more than 30 countries take part in Spartan events. Now Spartan have expanded into trail running, launching a Spartan Trail brand. “Why Spartan Trail? Because we believe in obstacles both natural and man-made,” Joe De Sena, the founder and CEO of Spartan, told the SCMP. Mariano Alvarez, the CEO of Spartan Trail, said the aim is to create new... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3074418/spartan-makes-move-trail-running-offering-global-events?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3074418/spartan-makes-move-trail-running-offering-global-events?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2020 00:00:26 +0000