Jiangsu beat host Shandong to win men's handball gold at National Games

Jiangsu, powerhouse of China's national handball team, beat host team Shandong to capture the gold medal in men's handball tournament at the 11th National Games here on Tuesday.

Jiangsu, bronze medal winner at the 10th National Games, won its seventh successive match after beating Shandong 27-19 in Weihai, a coastal city of Shandong province.

Led by Yan Weiming, coach of Chinese men's handball team at the Beijing Olympics, Jiangsu dominated the first half of the game, leading Shandong by 15-9.

Shandong made a comeback in the second half to level the score, but their forward was tightly marked once they drove the ball to Jiangsu's half, and their shooting attempts ended only as scares and cheers from the stadium.

The defending champion Beijing won the bronze medal after beating the People's Liberation Army (PLA) 22-20.

This is the first time for Jiangsu to win the gold medal at the National Games and first silver for Shandong.

Source: Xinhua