Stop, Break, Box

Over the past few days I have had a number of Chinese sporting experiences as both a participant and as a spectator. Therefore this post will be focused mainly on physical activity in China.

First on the list was our little trip to Longhu (Lake Long) just outside of Zhengzhou. This was an attempt to take advantage of everyone's free time and the ridiculously hot weather over the May holiday. We also decided to have an impromptu BBQ using suitably improvised implements, principally a metal box and some skewers. After much lighting, blowing, and relighting we produced some foodstuffs passable as kebabs. Anyway, the sporting relevance. We took the opportunity of the close proximity of a large body of water to go for a swim. I have no doubt that the water quality was less than good, but the desire to get out of the heat far outweighed the fear of water-borne disease.

A few days later Wojciech and I went to a table tennis club to meet the friend of a friend who is the head coach. It was cool to finally see come proficient players of the national sport. Actually proficient is a bit of an understatement as the ferocity and skill with which the members (both male and female from teenagers to pensioners) played the game was rather intimidating. After a brief coaching session I was soundly beaten by a boy who could not have been older than seven and was then thrashed by an old women. It is hard not to feel a little rubbish after that but I am sure I am a far better rugby player than both of them.

The last of my trio of sporting experiences was perhaps the most interesting. Tom, my English friend, has been at some point a keen amateur boxer, and is often lamenting that he has not been in the ring for years. Fortunately Wojciech managed to find out, through his sister's boyfriend (who works for the Henan Sports Ministry), that there was a four day boxing tournament taking place at Number 11 Middle School. With this knowledge in hand Tom and I set out yesterday afternoon for a little peek. We watched about twenty bouts of fighters from 54 to 91kg. I was very impressed, and I am reliably informed by my local boxing expert...Tom, that the quality of some the fighters was pretty high. The whole thing took place in an incredibly well equipped sports hall to an almost silent crowd, which was odd.

Anywho, despite this recent spate of sport. My physical fitness is fighting a losing battle against grease, beer and mono-sodium glutamate.