By Gary Anderson

January 11 - Badminton star Lin Dan picked up the male Chinese Sports Personality of the Year award after winning another World Championship title in 2013 ©AFP/Getty ImagesDouble Olympic champion Lin Dan and former French Open winner Li Na have been named the 2013 Chinese Male and Female Athletes of the Year at the China's Central Television (CCTV) Sports Awards.

Despite taking time off following his second successive Olympic title at London 2012, Lin returned to action at the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Championships on home soil in Guangzhou to claim his fifth world title in-a-row after being granted a wildcard entry.

The 30-year-old followed this up with a third consecutive singles title at the Chinese National Games in Liaoning in September.

Li, 31, who became the first Asian player to win a Grand Slam singles title with her win at Roland Garros in 2011, finished 2013 as the world number three on the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) world rankings after a year which saw her reach the final of the Australian Open, semi-final of the US Open and quarter-finals at Wimbledon.

She also reached the final of the WTA Tour Championships in Istanbul, but lost out to American Serena Williams, despite winning the first set of the decider.

Li's sole tournament victory of 2013 came at the start of the year as she took the Shenzhen Open title, which she successfully defended last week, overcoming compatriot Peng Shuai in the final, to get her 2014 season off to a flying start.

Li Na ended 2013 ranked at number three on the WTA rankings ©AFP/Getty ImagesLi Na ended 2013 ranked at number three on the WTA rankings ©AFP/Getty Images


























Peng and doubles partner Hsieh Su-Wei of Chinese Taipei picked up the Best Pair of the Year award for 2013 which saw them win the women's doubles title at Wimbledon.

Guangzhou Evergrande's Marcello Lippi was chosen as Best Coach of the Year after the Italian led his side to glory in the Chinese Super League as well as the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League, while Guangzhou took the Best Team award.

Best Rookie went to long jumper Li Jinzhe, who produced a world leading jump of 8.34 metres to claim the title at 2013 International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Diamond League meeting in Shanghai back in May.

Guo Chuan was recognised for becoming the first Chinese sailor to circumnavigate the globe single-handedly by being awarded the Sports Special Contribution accolade.

Aboard his Class40 yacht, 48-year-old Guo travelled about 21,600 nautical miles in 138 days before he returned to his hometown of Qingdao on April 5.

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