World champion Maryam Jamal comfortably defended her 1,500m Asian Games title yesterday as Somdev Devvarman and Peng Shaui delivered tennis gold to India and China.
The Ethiopian-born Jamal, running for Bahrain, lived up to her top billing on the track to win a slow-paced race she never looked like losing with Vietnam’s Truong Thanh Hang a shock silver medalist.
Jamal said she planned to bid for a golden double, as she did at the last Games in Doha four years ago.
PHOTO: REUTERS
“I will compete in the 800m and I want to win another gold medal,” she said. “I did it four years ago and I want to defend it for me and Bahrain. I’m still the best in the world.”
Her success was Bahrain’s third gold in Guangzhou, far behind dominant table-toppers China.
All but 11 of the 45 countries and territories taking part have now managed to climb the podium.
With men’s world champion Youssef Saad Kamel failing to qualify for the final, Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed Shaween claimed 1,500m gold ahead of Iran’s Sajad Moradi.
Another Baharini, Kenyan-born Tareq Mubarak Taher, defended his 3,000m steeplechase title while China’s Li Yanfeng won the women’s discus and South Korea’s Jung Soon-Ok was crowned women’s long jump champion.
Qatar’s Mutaz Barshim cleared 2.27m to take the men’s high jump title.
It was India’s Somdev Devvarman who took top honors at the Aoti Tennis Center, upsetting Uzbek ATP stalwart Denis Istomin 6-1, 6-2 in the men’s final.
Devvarman has already won the doubles title when he teamed with Sanam Singh on Monday and was ecstatic.
“It’s beyond my expectations,” said the 25-year-old, who is the first man in 24 years to win a singles and doubles gold at the same Games.
Peng Shuai convincingly kept the women’s gold medal in Chinese hands when she also clinched her second title of the Guangzhou Asiad.
Peng, who had linked up with Li Na to win the women’s team event, claimed a 7-5, 6-2 victory over Uzbekistan’s Akgul Amanmuradova in front of a packed house.
“It’s a wonderful memory to win two golds,” said Peng, the world No. 71.
“We don’t get too many opportunities to get together and play tennis. Here we had coaches, men’s players, women’s players and the home crowd cheering for us. It was a big advantage,” she said.
Meanwhile, China’s diving juggernaut picked up speed with Olympic gold medalist Chen Ruolin and Wang Hao too good in the women’s synchronized 10m platform event.
The pairing of Qin Kai and Luo Yutong then kept China on track for a clean-sweep by winning the men’s synchronized 3m springboard.
At the University Town Main Stadium, defending champions Japan beat Hong Kong 28-21 to win the men’s rugby gold, while Kazakhstan shocked favorites China to claim the inaugural women’s title.
The Japanese found more success on the soccer field with goals from Kota Mizunuma and Kensuke Nagai helping them beat four-time champions Iran to make the final where they will meet either South Korea or United Arab Emirates.
Elsewhere, Bangladesh’s cricket team cruised to victory over Malaysia by 70 runs, joining Pakistan in the semi-finals.
Bangladesh scored a competitive 150-7 in 20 overs and Malaysia never looked like reaching their target, struggling to 80 all out in the last over.
IN-HOUSE BUSINESS: LA Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said that the reason for the team’s poor form was not due to Paul, but the player was not a good fit for them Chris Paul’s return stint with the Los Angeles Clippers has come to an abrupt and stunning end, with the franchise parting ways with one of its greatest players in a late-night meeting on Wednesday that adds another layer of drama to the team’s terrible start this season. The news was delivered in a meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, that ended at about 2am, Clippers basketball operations president Lawrence Frank said. Frank said he made the decision to sever ties with Paul on Sunday then told the franchise’s career assist leader that he needed to see him on Tuesday in Atlanta. Frank did not confirm
Kylian Mbappe on Wednesday scored twice and had an assist as Real Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 to end a three-match winless streak in La Liga. Eduardo Camavinga also found the net for Madrid as they moved back within one point of Barcelona, who beat Atletico Madrid 3-1 on Tuesday. Both 19th-round matches were moved forward because Real Madrid, Barcelona, Athletic Club and Atletico Madrid are to play in the Supercopa de Espana semi-finals in Saudi Arabia next month. Real Madrid were coming off league draws against Girona, Elche and Rayo Vallecano. It was their second win in their past six matches in
There was another win for Arsenal in the Premier League on Wednesday, but more misery for Liverpool and their under-fire manager, Arne Slot. While Arsenal accelerated their title charge with a 2-0 victory over Brentford to regain a five-point lead, Liverpool needed a late own-goal just to salvage a 1-1 draw with Sunderland AFC at Anfield. Slot is back under pressure, with his team languishing in eighth place in a disappointing title defense and his decision to leave star forward Mohamed Salah out of the starting lineup for a second straight game likely to be heavily scrutinized. “It’s clear that teams that play
The Olympic flame for the Milan Cortina Winter Games landed in Rome on Thursday following a handover in Greece. The flame was carried in a small lantern aboard an ITA Airways flight between the Greek and Italian capitals. Tennis player Jasmine Paolini — an Olympic gold medalist — and local organizing committee president Giovanni Malago carried the flame off the plane. “I feel honored. It’s an incredible emotion,” Paolini said in brief remarks before the lantern was driven away toward the presidential palace. A 63-day torch relay covering 12,000km is to start in Rome today and wind its way through all 110 Italian provinces
RSS