Italian journalist's passion flicks through years

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Italian sports photographer Bozza Gennaro first visited the Chinese mainland in 1994 to capture the Asian Table Tennis Championships. Over two decades later, the 63-year-old has returned 64 times, visiting six National Games and his passion has grown stronger with every trip.

Gennaro made his name working for La Gazzetta dello Sport in Italy.

During his 40 years as a journalist, he has been to nearly 50 cities and 18 provinces in the Chinese mainland, 23 years after making his first visit.

He said it is a passion for table tennis, rarely seen outside of Asia, that keeps him coming back. As a freelancer, it's all paid for out of his own pocket, but in Gennaro's eyes, it's totally worth it: “I like China very much, about everything, especially table tennis."

Bozza Gennaro talking with Cai Zhenhua, deputy director of the General Administration of Sport of China. /Photo from qq.com

After his first trip in 1994, Gennaro has built up a reputation with Chinese athletes. These include ping-pong star Ma Long, a man he has seen growing and becoming a world champion, and famous Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang, whom he met while reporting on the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

Gennaro said Liu would be the next best thing prior to the event, and he was proved right. A trained writer, his main focus is now photography.

“I know all the players and all the players know me since long long time. Each player you see in the venue, I met him when he was 12 or 13 years old. So I’ve been seeing them growing up,” Gennaro added.

Li Wujun, a reporter for CCTV-5, has known him for many years. He thinks his passion is absolute. The pair have built up a close friendship over the years and it's no surprise he continues to travel to China to cover sports.

"He has spent his life covering table tennis. He knows more about the Chinese table tennis team than most of the sports reporters in China," said Li. "He keeps a collection of notebooks, and after many years, he can make comparison for the players he has seen grow up."

As for the future, it's all about having air in his lungs. This Italian, despite being in his senior years, has no plans to stop his Chinese adventures.