Shui Qingxia, head coach of Chinese women's football team, was awarded the AFC Women's Coach of the Year at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Annual Awards in Doha on Tuesday.
A file photo of Shui Qingxia. /CFP
Saudi Arabian midfielder Salem Al Dawsari was crowned the AFC Player of the Year in the men's category, and Australia's striker Samantha Kerr won the title in the women's section. Japan's Hajime Moriyasu was named the Men's Coach of the Year.
Shui did not attend the ceremony as she is with the team competing in the Olympic qualifiers. Chinese Football Association (CFA) President Song Kai received the award on her behalf, as Shui became the second Chinese coach to win in this category since Ma Yuanan in 1996.
Shui, 56, was an Asian Cup champion herself as a player, and led the Chinese team to retain the honor last year the first time since 2006, when they beat Team South Korea 3-2 to lift their ninth title at the event.
Meanwhile, Team China are gearing up to keep up their hopes of reaching the next round of Olympic qualifiers as they face group leaders South Korea on Wednesday in the final match of the group stage in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province.
In a group joined by teams from Thailand and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Team China currently sit third with one win and one defeat. They will have to beat South Korea to rise to the second spot, and hopefully beat second-ranked teams from other two groups on net goals to advance.