Sun Xiaochen: A historic year for Chinese sports

Sun Xiaochen (right) interviews former NBA star Patrick Ewing in Beijing.

Best story: I wrote the front page story on Aug 1, after Beijing was awarded the right to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. It was a historic moment because Beijing became the only city to host both the Summer and Winter Games, so I related the scenes of celebration at the IOC session where the decision was made. It brought back fond memories of the Chinese capital winning the race to host the 2008 Summer Games.

Most interesting person: Wang Yin, a former financial worker who quit a well-paid job in banking to start an online-to-offline fitness business. Inspired by the popularity of workout tips shared online, Wang built a team of professional trainers and nutritionists to offer tailor-made workouts and dietary plans for clients.

Best interview: In March, during the annual session of China's top political advisory body - the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference - I conducted a video interview with retired basketball star and CPPCC member Yao Ming. The tallest, and probably highest-profile, political advisor in the world complained about the excessive focus on his celebrity status rather than his political proposals.

Most unforgettable reporting experience: Covering Beijing's joint bid with Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games was the high point of my year. From visiting ski resorts around Beijing to covering the International Olympic Committee's 128th Session in Malaysia, where Beijing won the hosting rights, I was deeply involved in the entire journey.

Best quotes: "Although we are nowhere near the world's best right now, hopefully we can qualify for the World Cup and reach the last 16, while improving the national team's world ranking and getting into the top 30 in about 20 years."

Cai Zhenhua, president of the Chinese Football Association