MARATHONS
Taipei to cap running events
The number of marathons or massive running events in Taipei is to be capped at two per month to ensure all citizens’ rights to smooth traffic flow, the city’s Department of Sports said earlier this week. Under the new rule, the number of running events that involve more than 10,000 participants is to be capped at 12 per year, the department said. Events at that level usually take course on main roads such as Renai Road and Ketagalan Boulevard, requiring cars to reroute and affecting traffic to a certain extent, the department said. The issue was raised following a Nike women’s half-marathon last Sunday, when 18,000 women ran across downtown Taipei from Taipei City Hall to the Dajia Riverside Park.
TENNIS
Svitolina to face Babos
Fourth-seeded Elina Svitolina of Ukraine is to face unseeded Timea Babos of Hungary in the Grand Prix SAR final after both players won their semi-finals in straight sets on Friday. The 20-year-old Svitolina, who now bids for her third career title, dominated throughout against seventh-seeded Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, breaking the Slovakian player’s serve six times in a 6-0, 6-3 win. Babos, who is one year older and is bidding for her second title, broke unseeded Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic — her friend and doubles partner — twice in each set in a 6-4, 6-4 win. Babos wobbled slightly, missing two match points and then double-faulting to give Mladenovic a break-point chance to get back into the game. However, her nerve held and she sealed victory on her third match point.
TABLE TENNIS
Xu, Yang win mixed doubles
China’s Xu Xin and Yang Ha-eun of South Korea have teamed up to become the first cross-border partnership to win the world mixed doubles table tennis championship in 61 years. The pair beat Japan’s Kasumi Ishikawa and Maharu Yoshimura 4-0 at the world championships on Friday, becoming the first mixed nationality winners of the title since Czechoslovakia’s Ivan Andreadis and Hungarian Gizella Gervai at Wembley in 1954. Xu played through a shoulder injury he sustained in his men’s singles match earlier in the day, but was quick to deflect Yang’s assertion that his performance had been heroic. “The injury definitely affected my play,” the 25-year-old lefthander said. “I am glad that our partnership worked out well despite my injury… I am neither a hero, nor a warrior, but I made sure that I give my best. As long as that is the case, I think the outcome matters less compared to the process and efforts.” The world championships in Suzhou, China, conclude today.
SOCCER
Big club visits good: Soosay
Visits by big European clubs to Asia are good for soccer in the region, a senior Asian official has insisted, dismissing concerns over the trips. European clubs are welcomed by thousands of star-struck fans, but critics say their popularity comes at the expense of local leagues, many of which are struggling. However, Asian Football Confederation secretary-general Alex Soosay said complaints about the money-spinning tours were wide of the mark. Real Madrid, Liverpool and Arsenal are among the teams headed to Asia in the coming months, in visits that boost their fan base and merchandise sales. Soosay said the visiting clubs raise soccer’s profile and help development through their coaching clinics and by funding facilities like new pitches.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two