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Pau backs his pals to repeat feat in Turkey

By Sun Xiaochen (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-09-01 09:14

SHANGHAI - Spain and Los Angeles star post player Pau Gasol believes his country's basketball team will emulate the soccer team that won the World Cup in South Africa two month ago.

Spanish basketball player Pau Gasol acknowledges the media while visiting the Happiness Factory at the Coke Pavilion at the Shanghai 2010 World Expo on Tuesday. [China Daily]

The Spanish footballers lost their first game to the Swiss in South Africa but went on to win the sport's greatest crown.

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Defending champion Spain unexpectedly lost to undermanned France, 72-66, in its first group game in Turkey, but Gasol remains confident about his country's prospects.

"The same thing (losing the first game) happened last year in Poland at the European Basketball Championship, and it also occurred in South Africa in the World Cup for our soccer team. Hopefully, the end result will be the same again in Turkey," Gasol said at a press conference after his Eco-Friendly Tour at the Shanghai 2010 World Expo's Coke Pavilion on Tuesday.

Spain rebounded strongly from its opening loss and crushed New Zealand, 101-84, in its second group game.

"The first game at big events is always hard to play. With a lot of expectations and emotion, Spain played a little sensitive. Once it loosened up, things came out much better, it will play the way it is supposed to do, and get as far as it can in the championship," Gasol said.

The All-star, who pulled out of the Worlds to rest this summer, said he had run himself to the limit after three consecutive long NBA seasons.

"My body gets fatigued from playing so much these days, and if I continue to add pressure this summer, I could be on the verge of getting terribly hurt, so I need to take a long break to refresh myself."

Looking at China's hopes at the Worlds, Gasol, 30, said: "Yao's absence is certainly a big loss for the Chinese team, but with other potential young guns, I think China's performance in the tournament will exceed fans' expectations.

"Maybe, they can head into the quarterfinals. Let's wait and see," he said after the team's 83-73 victory over Cote d'lvoire.

The 30-year-old giant also shared his thoughts about protecting the environment in the Happiness Factory at the Coke Pavilion and took part in a ceremony to release the company's newly designed, lightweight, easily recycled bottles.