In Pics: Korfball, a sport originated in the Netherlands, connected to central China

ZHENGZHOU, Aug. 5, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Korfball, originated in the Netherlands in 1902, is a mixed-gender ball sport with rules that similar to basketball. Each team consists of eight players, four men and four women. The court is divided into two halves, each featuring a 3.5-meter-high basket. Points are scored by throwing the ball into the opponent's basket. The core values of Korfball emphasize gender equality, teamwork, and minimizing excessive physical contact.

China began developing Korfball in 2004. The Korfball Team of Zhengzhou University is among the earliest established in the country. Ma Xiangcheng, the head coach of the Chinese national Korfball team, introduced the sport to Zhengzhou University and has actively promoted its growth. The university's team now ranks among the top in China. Led primarily by the players of Zhengzhou University, the Chinese national Korfball team has achieved multiple honors in international competitions, finishing the fourth at the 2019 World Championship and the fifth at the Korfball event of the World Games held in the United States in 2022.

The successes of Zhengzhou University have also driven the development of Korfball in China's central Henan Province. At present, leagues have been established at school, district, city, and provincial levels in Henan, with an increasing number of young people participating in the sport.

During the summer vacation, young players of Zhengzhou No.76 Middle School practiced intensively on the training ground.

The Chinese national Korfball team has now arrived in Chengdu. The players maintain an optimistic attitude and high morale as they prepare for the upcoming World Games 2025 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, held from Aug. 7 to Aug. 17.