Retired NBA star Kobe Bryant is to arrive in Taiwan this weekend for a two-day whirlwind visit to meet his legions of Taiwanese fans, with his first stop in Kaohsiung on Sunday before traveling to Taipei on Monday.
Sports enthusiasts in southern regions were said to be thrilled to learn that Bryant’s visit is focused on Kaohsiung, with two scheduled official events there, as part of his “Mamba Mentality Tour” in Asia.
The long-time Los Angeles Lakers frontman is to stay only briefly in Taipei, where he is to conduct a basketball training camp at the Nangang Municipal Sports Center on Monday morning, which is not open to the public, according to Nike Taiwan, the official sponsor of Bryant’s tour.
The NBA All-Star, known as “the Black Mamba,” came to Taiwan in August last year, as part of a tour of Asia that also saw him travel to China’s Guangzhou and Shanghai.
This weekend is to be Bryant’s fifth trip to Taiwan, having also visited in 2006, 2007, 2009 and last year.
With a wide fan base in Taiwan, Bryant has always been a popular figure, drawing huge crowds and frenzied scenes at public appearances.
Before the end of this visit in August last year, he promised to return, saying: “I love Taiwan” in Mandarin.
During the NBA All-Star break in February, which was Bryant’s final season, he confirmed his trip to Taiwan and sent greetings to his Taiwanese fans during a media interview.
In Kaohsiung on Sunday, “the Black Mamba” is to instruct young basketball players at a “Kobe Academy” training camp at the Kaohsiung Zhongzheng Stadium from 3:50pm to 4:30pm.
Event organizers said the Kobe Academy activities would be open to the public, adding that people can start entering the stadium at about 11am, with sports-related programs and activities to be put on throughout the day.
Bryant is also to open the “Mamba Mentality” Special Exhibit at the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center, presiding over the event from 5pm to 7pm.
US national team star Folarin Balogun was among the scorers as AS Monaco on Friday won 3-1 at Paris Saint-Germain, dealing a blow to the side from the French capital before they face Chelsea in a crunch UEFA Champions League round-of-16 tie. Maghnes Akliouche gave Monaco a first-half lead at the Parc des Princes, and Aleksandr Golovin doubled their advantage early in the second half of the French Ligue 1 clash. Bradley Barcola pulled one back for the reigning European champions, but Balogun struck shortly after with a fifth goal in his last five games as Monaco claimed a precious
Teenage star Lamine Yamal’s superbly-taken goal on Saturday earned Barcelona a 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao in Spanish La Liga. The champions restored their four-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid, who had on Friday temporarily closed the gap by beating Celta Vigo. Atletico Madrid tightened their grip on third with an entertaining 3-2 win over Real Sociedad. Yamal, 18, curled into the top corner after 68 minutes to split the sides at Athletic’s San Mames stadium. “We’re already seeing what Lamine can do — he puts it right in the top corner, and there’s nothing the keeper can do,” Barca
Liverpool on Tuesday suffered an embarrassing 2-1 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers as Andre’s stoppage-time strike sealed a dramatic victory for the English Premier League’s bottom club. Arne Slot’s side fell behind to Rodrigo Gomes’ strike in the closing stages at Molineux. Mohamed Salah hauled Liverpool level with his first goal in 11 top-flight games dating back to November last year. However, Andre’s first goal for Wolves inflicted the latest humbling loss in a chastening season for Liverpool. It was the first time the Premier League’s bottom club had beaten the reigning champions since Crystal Palace defeated Chelsea in 2017. Liverpool
CHANCE TO QUALIFY: Both teams now have three points from two games, and Taiwan sit ahead of Vietnam and behind Japan, who last night beat India 11-0 Taiwan yesterday defeated Vietnam 1-0 to move into second place in Group C at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup with one match remaining. Su Yu-hsuan scored the decisive goal in the 26th minute after Taiwan midfielder Saki Matsunaga’s shot hit the crossbar, leaving Su to nod the rebound into an empty net for the team which won the last of their three Asian Cup titles in 1981. It was a deserved victory for Taiwan, 2-0 losers to Japan on Wednesday, who created several chances to extend their lead. Vietnam, the 2022 quarter-finalist, beat India in their opener, but struggled to
RSS