Nicholas Li Yun Fong, a combination of Chinese and Western names, caught watchers' attention on Saturday in the men's hammer throw of the ninth All-Africa Games in Algiers.
Besides a yellow face with a notable Chinese facial silhouette, the Mauritian young man got his family name from his grandfather Li Yun Fong who immigrated to Mauritius from China many years ago and became a businessman in the beautiful island country on the Indian Ocean.
It has been a custom for citizens of Chinese origin around the Indian Ocean area to take their grandfather's whole name as their own family name.
Nicholas' mother is also a Chinese from Guangdong of South China who got married in Mauritius in 1981. The whole family still celebrates the Spring Festival and Dragon Boat Festival, the traditional Chinese holidays, and enjoys Chinese food quite often.
As for his participation into the All-Africa Games, Nicholas explained that he practiced hammer throw for almost 10 years as a non-professional player, and it is just for fun and not for medals in international contests.
"I was strong in my childhood. With the urging of my sports teacher, I began to be involved in hammer throw, disc throw and shot put," Nicholas said.
As he is working for a fish meal producer in Mauritius, the young man can only do exercises about four to five times per week with one or two hours each time, but he still loves the sports.
Nicholas became Africa's junior champion in 2001 and this time he finished sixth in the continental sports fiesta with a throw of 56.53 meters.
The Mauritian sports man of Chinese origin only went to China when he was quite young, but he said surly he will watch the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games at home.
"It should be a huge gathering of sports," said Nicholas.
When the young man bade farewell to the Xinhua reporter, he used well-pronounced Chinese words, "Xie Xie, Zai Jian"(Thank you, Good Bye).
Source: Xinhua
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