Two spectacular pile-ups marred the final of an incident-packed women’s points race at the Asian Games yesterday, leaving one rider with a dislocated shoulder and a medal winner in tears.
China’s Liu Xin won the race to claim gold, but that was not the major talking-point at Guangzhou Velodrome.
A first crash that saw all the riders back on their bikes was proceeded by a huge smash that left several riders dazed and strewn across the track, with several unable to continue, as coaches and medics rushed to their aid.
PHOTO: AFP
Having taken a heavy tumble at speed, Hong Kong’s Wong Wan-yiu gingerly got back on her bike and completed the race to take silver in what her coach called “a miracle.”
Wong had to be helped up to the podium to collect her medal and sobbed uncontrollably as she shakily stood for the Chinese national anthem, clutching her arm and her knees clearly badly bruised and grazed.
Japan’s Mayuko Hagiwara and China’s Tang Kerong were also sent flying in the second crash and had to be stretchered off. Tang suffered a dislocated shoulder, cuts and bruises and was to remain in hospital until tomorrow.
Chanpeng Nontasin, of Thailand, took bronze.
Hong Kong claimed silver and China took bronze after they defeated Iran in a race-off.
In the swimming, South Korea’s Park Tae-hwan smiled at the finish line and wagged his -finger. -Delighted South Korean fans waved their flag and chanted his name.
The 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medalist signaled his comeback by swimming his fastest time in two years for the 400m freestyle yesterday, completing a golden 200-400 double at the Guangzhou Asian Games.
Park led from the start in the 400 final and finished in 3 minutes, 41.53 seconds.
China’s Sun Yang and Zhang Lin — the Beijing Games silver medalist — trailed throughout the race, with Sun touching 0.94 seconds behind Park to claim silver.
Meanwhile, soccer powerhouse Japan crushed India 5-0 to move into the Asian Games quarter-finals yesterday where they were joined by North Korea who edged past Vietnam 2-0.
They stay in the gold medal hunt along with four-time champions Iran, triple winners South Korea, Uzbekistan and Oman who made the last eight on Monday.
Japan will tackle Thailand, managed by former England captain Bryan Robson, who edged Turkmenistan 1-0 for a place in the semi-finals.
North Korea meet the United Arab Emirates who won a bad-tempered clash with local rivals Kuwait 2-0.
Thailand reached the quarter-finals when Kirati Keawsombut scored an extra-time winner just minutes after Wichaya Dechmitr had been sent-off.
North Korea’s clash with Vietnam was a much tighter affair, with Choe Kum-chol 35th minute strike all that separated them for much of the match before Choe Myong-ho converted a 91st minute penalty to seal the win.
The UAE defeated Gulf rivals Kuwait 2-0 with Hamdan Al Kamali, with a 67th-minute penalty, and an Abdulla Bloushi strike three minutes from time securing the win.
Santiago Castro on Tuesday had an immediate impact off the bench as he scored the goal to send Bologna into the Coppa Italia semi-finals for the first time in 26 years. Bologna won 1-0 against last year’s runners-up, Atalanta BC, and are to play either holders Juventus or Empoli in the final four. Juventus are to host Empoli in their quarter-final on Feb. 26. The last time Bologna reached the semi-finals was in 1999, when they lost 4-2 to ACF Fiorentina. There were chances for both sides in a high-tempo match in Bergamo, but it was Bologna who broke the deadlock 10 minutes from
After nearly six years away from the NBA, New Taipei Kings player Jeremy Lin (林書豪) is set to participate in the 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend’s Rising Stars mini-tournament as the coach of Team G League. The NBA announced Monday (U.S. time) that the Taiwanese-American player will join a trio of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famers – Tim Hardaway Sr., Chris Mullin, and Mitch Richmond – as honorary coaches for four teams featuring 28 rising talents. "See you soon in the Bay," Lin wrote in an Instagram story sharing the news. As the All-Star Weekend will take place at
The former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani on Thursday was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for bank and tax fraud after he stole nearly US$17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player’s bank account. Ippei Mizuhara, who was supposed to bridge the gap between the Japanese athlete and his English-speaking teammates and fans, was sentenced in federal court in Santa Ana to four years and nine months after pleading guilty last year. He was ordered to pay US$18 million in restitution, with nearly US$17 million going to Ohtani and the remainder to the US Internal Revenue Service. He was
The 40-year-old LeBron James on Thursday became the oldest player to score 40 points in an NBA game, putting up a season-high 42 in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 120-112 victory over the Golden State Warriors. James passed the record held by Michael Jordan, his idol and the only other NBA player to score 40 after his 40th birthday. “I’m old, that’s my take,” James said when asked about his latest achievement. “I need a glass of wine and some sleep, that’s what I think.” Jordan did it for the Washington Wizards just three days after turning 40 in February 2003. James is 38