Raising their game

As Team China point guard Zhao Jiwei dribbled the basketball on the court of a remote elementary school in the mountainous areas of Southwest China's Yunnan province, a group of students, much shorter than him, fearlessly took turns trying to steal the ball before he could attempt a lay-up.

Perched on a hillside in Nanling township in Lancang Lahu autonomous county, the school, a four-hour drive away from the nearest airport in Pu'er city, currently accommodates more than 1,800 students and nearly 100 staff members.

As the basketball ambassador for Puma, Zhao's visit to Nanlingxiang central elementary school is part of a charity project launched by the German sportswear brand in 2019.

Every year, the initiative brings a team of volunteers to the elementary school to support the development of its sports education through equipment donations, training sessions, sports events and conducting home visits with students.

This marks Zhao's second visit to the school since 2022.

"Every time I come, I see some children playing barefoot, unrestrained by rules and not overly concerned about falling. When they do fall, they immediately get up and continue playing," Zhao said.

"I can feel their love for basketball as a sport and their eagerness to learn more skills."