Asian qualifying for the baseball tournament at next year's Beijing Olympics began yesterday in Taichung.
Seven teams are participating in the games, which last until Monday.
The qualifiers, played at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium and Taichung Baseball Stadium, are divided into two parts.
PHOTO: LIA YAO-TUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
In the first phase, which began yesterday, Asia's B-class teams -- Pakistan, the Philippines, Hong Kong and Thailand -- compete in a mini-tournament.
The winner will advance to the Asian Olympic Baseball Qualifiers from Saturday to Monday, to which Asia's A-class teams -- Taiwan, Japan and South Korea -- have direct entry.
Eight teams will compete for baseball gold at the Olympics -- one each from from hosts China, Asia, Europe and two from the Americas, as well as three wild-card holders.
Europe and the Americas have already completed their qualifying games and will be represented by the Netherlands, the US and Cuba.
In March, Taiwan will hold the Special Qualifiers in which seven teams will compete for the three wild cards to the Beijing Olympics. The participants will be the No. 2 and No. 3 teams from Asia and Europe, the No. 3 from the Americas, and the No. 1 teams from Africa and Oceania.
The Beijing Games carry special significance for baseball players and fans because the International Olympic Committee has dropped the sport from future games.
Baseball is popular in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the US and parts of Latin America.
China, to assert its place as a sports giant in the world, has begun to train baseball players in recent years, using Taiwanese baseball coaches.
In yesterday's games, it was: Philippines 2, Pakistan 0; Thailand 8, Hong Kong 4.
Carlos Alcaraz on Monday powered into the French Open second round with a resounding win to start his title defense, while world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and three-time defending women’s champion Iga Swiatek also progressed at Roland Garros. Four-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz struck 31 winners in a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri and is to face Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan in round two. Alcaraz is now on an eight-match winning streak at the French Open and also took Olympic silver at Roland Garros last year, losing the final to Novak Djokovic. “The first round is never
FRUSTRATION: Alcaraz made several unforced errors over four sets against Bosnian Damir Dzumhur, who had never made it past the third round in a major competition Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz reached the fourth round of the French Open after laboring past Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in the Friday night session. The second-seeded Spaniard had never before played Dzumhur, a 33-year-old Bosnian who had never been past the third round at any major tournament. “I suffered quite a lot today,” Alcaraz said. “The first two sets was under control, then he started to play more deeply and more aggressively. It was really difficult for me.” Dzumhur hurt his left knee in a fall in the second round, and had treatment on Friday on his right leg during the
‘DREAM’: The 5-0 victory was PSG’s first Champions League title, and the biggest final win by any team in the 70-year history of the top-flight European competition Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League for the first time as Luis Enrique’s brilliant young side outclassed Inter on Saturday in the most one-sided final ever with teenager Desire Doue scoring twice in an astonishing 5-0 victory. Doue supplied the pass for Achraf Hakimi to give PSG an early lead and the 19-year-old went from provider to finisher as his deflected shot doubled the advantage in the 20th minute. Doue scored again just after the hour mark, ending any doubt about the outcome before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia ran away to get the fourth and substitute Senny Mayulu, another teenager, made it five. Inter were
SSC Napoli coach Antonio Conte has dragged the team back from disaster and restored them to the top of Italian Serie A, but his future at the Scudetto winners is in doubt even after a triumphant season. The fiery 55-year-old has exceeded preseason expectations and bolstered his reputation as a serial winner by guiding Napoli to their fourth Scudetto, and second in three seasons. However, he might well be on his way in the summer after just one season at the helm as his charged relationship with Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis has simmered throughout the campaign. Conte has said
RSS