Coronavirus: China paddlers donate Qatar Open prize money to help mainland front-line workers in fight against Covid-19 disease
- The mainlanders capture four golds and one silver in Doha to swell team’s prize money haul to US$246,000
- They are finally able to travel home from Doha after spending a month overseas because of the health crisis in China
Chinese table tennis players will donate all prize money earned at the weekend’s Qatar Open to the coronavirus fight back home.
China dominated the world tour platinum tournament despite being “homeless” for more than a month, winning four golds and one silver. Along with cash earned by players in earlier rounds, the Chinese team collected US$246,000 in prize money.
Reports in the mainland say the players have agreed to give all their winnings to buy materials to support the front-line workers in China’s fight against the Covid-19 disease that has infected nearly 110,000 people and claimed more than 3,800 lives – most of them in China.
The donation idea came from team captain Ma Long and his teammates were happy to join his initiative.
The singles champions for men and women earned US$44,000 each, while the doubles champions take home US$10,000. Fan Zhendong clinched the men’s singles crown after defeating Liam Pitchford, of England, 4-2 in the final, while the women’s title went to Chen Meng, who beat Japan’s Mima Ito.
