Name Song Xiaobo | ||
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Song Xiaobo (simplified Chinese: 宋晓波; traditional Chinese: 宋曉波; pinyin: Sòng Xiǎobō; born September 8, 1958 in Beijing), is a basketball player and basketball coach from Beijing, China. She is perhaps the most celebrated woman basketball player of the 1970s era in China; as a player she had outstanding all around ball skills, a very high level of athleticism, and a clear, bright, driving work ethic. Song was outstanding at every position from guard to center and she enjoys acclaim as "China's greatest female basketball player of all time". She is currently the CEO of a sports promotion company in Beijing.
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Basketball career
Song Xiaobo was born to a basketball family in Beijing; both her mother and father played basketball. In 1975 Sung competed for Beijing in the 3rd Chinese National Games, and in 1979 in the 4th Chinese National Games; and in 1977, 1979 and 1981 in the Chinese National Women's Basketball Tournament.
Sung's first participation as a member of the China women's national basketball team came in 1983 at the FIBA World Championship for Women; China won the bronze medal and Song received two individual awards, forthwith becoming the pre-eminent woman basketballer in China, and presently the captain of the national team. At the 1984 Summer Olympics Sung represented the Chinese athletic delegation and carried the national flag at the opening ceremonies; soon thereafter she and the team stood on the medal platform having won the bronze medal. During this era she also led the national team to their 4th and 5th Asian championships out of 9 possible total chances.
In 1985, after retiring from play, Sung began a career as a basketball coach in China, and toured to Australia, Taiwan and other places as a teacher and coach. At the present she is chairman of a Beijing-based sports promotion company, working in creating financing and investment for sports organizations, especially for basketball leagues and facilities.