Local: Chen gets a family visit
Chen Chin-feng (陳金鋒) got a visit from his parents and congratulatory telegrams from top officials in Taiwan after his game against the Colorado Rockies, which made him the first Taiwanese ever to play in the major leagues. Nike Taiwan said Chen's first words on meeting his parents were, "Did you sleep well last night?" Chen was concerned his parents were suffering from jet lag. Chen's father said that it was important for Chen to be humble and polite, especially now that he was a major leaguer. President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Chairperson of the National Council of Physical Fitness and Sports Lin Te-fu (林德福) congratulated Chen by telegram at a press conference in Los Angeles yesterday.
Cricket: ICC probes corruption
The International Cricket Council said yeserday its anti-corruption investigators are studying several incidents during last week's Champions Trophy match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Pakistan suffered a crushing defeat by eight wickets in that tournament opener against Sri Lanka on Thursday.
Volleyball Vibrant Italy floors US
Even as an outsider and without its star setter, the US managed to reach the final of the women's Volleyball World Championships. But losing top scorer Prikeba Phipps ahead of the gold-medal match proved just a little too much. Undefeated throughout the tournament, the Americans were finally stopped in their tracks by underdog Italy in a thrilling five-set final Sunday, which ended the US side's winning streak as well as its hopes for a first ever women's world title in the sport. The Italians beat the US 18-25, 25-18, 25-16, 22-25, 15-11
The next generation of running talent takes center stage at today’s Berlin Marathon, in the absence of stars including Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge and Ethiopian world record holder Tigist Assefa. With most of the major marathon stars skipping the event in the wake of the Paris Olympics just more than a month ago, the field is wide open in the men’s and women’s races. Since 2015, Kipchoge has won five times in Berlin, Kenenisa Bekele has won twice and Guye Adola once — with all three missing today. Kenyan Kibiwott Kandie and Ethiopian Tadese Takele are among the favourites for the men, while
Japan’s Shohei Ohtani is the record-breaking baseball “superhuman” following in the footsteps of the legendary Babe Ruth who has also earned comparisons to US sporting greats Michael Jordan and Tom Brady. Not since Ruth a century ago has there been a baseball player capable of both pitching and hitting at the top level. The 30-year-old’s performances with the Los Angeles Dodgers have consolidated his position as a baseball legend in the making, and a national icon in his native Japan. He continues to find new ways to amaze, this year becoming the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases
Zhang Shuai yesterday said that she nearly quit after losing 24 matches in a row — now the world No. 595 is into the quarter-finals of her home China Open. The 35-year-old is to face Spain’s Paula Badosa as the lowest-ranked player to reach this stage in the history of the tournament after Badosa reeled off 11 of the last 12 games in a 6-4, 6-0 victory over US Open finalist Jessica Pegula. Zhang went into Beijing on a barren run lasting more than 600 days and her string of singles defeats was the second-longest on the WTA Tour Open era, which
Taiwan’s Tony Wu yesterday beat Mackenzie McDonald of the US to win the Nonthaburi Challenger IV in Thailand, his first challenger victory since 2022. The 26-year-old world No. 315, who won both his qualifiers to advance to the main draw, has been on a hot streak this month, winning his past nine matches, including two that ensured Taiwan’s victory in their Davis Cup World Group I tie. Wu took just more than two hours to top world No. 172 McDonald 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) to win his second challenger tournament since the Tallahassee Tennis Challenger in 2022. Wu’s Tallahassee win followed two years of
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