BADMINTON
Taiwan’s Lu wins gold
Taiwanese badminton player Lu Chia-hung beat India’s Siril Verma in three sets yesterday to become the country’s first to win gold in men’s singles at the World Junior Championships. Competing in the Yonex Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Junior Badminton Championships in Lima, Peru, the 18-year-old rebounded from a game down to snatch the honors 17-21, 21-10, 21-7. Having vowed to be the World Junior Champion in his final year at that level, the sixth-seeded Lu said he started slow in the finals with fatigued muscles and nervousness following many intense games at the tournament. However, Lu said he recovered soon and committed almost no errors in the second and third sets, taking advantage of his Indian opponent’s failing strength and impatience to win the match. Lu said that he endured his most hard-won victory at the quarter-finals of the tournament, holding off Lin Guipu of China after a 19-21, 21-10, 21-18 struggle in 66 minutes. Prior to Lu’s gold medal, the best finish by a Taiwanese player in men’s singles at the BWF World Junior Championships was recorded by Wang Tzu-wei, the runner-up in 2013. In women’s doubles, Taiwanese duo Lee Chia-hsin and Chen Wan-ting defeated Japan’s Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida to win bronze.
OLYMPICS
Attacks will not derail bid
International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach on Sunday said that the Paris terror attacks, which left 129 people dead, “will absolutely” not affect the French capital’s bid to host the 2024 Olympics. Bach listed three reasons why Paris can remain optimistic over their campaign in an interview with French television program Stade 2. “We are talking about an Olympic Games which is taking place in nine years time,” Bach said. “Lots of things can happen in the world between now and then and I hope that the politicians meeting at the G20 [in Antalya in Turkey] will approve measures which will allow us to beat terrorism and barbarism.” The second reason is that “it’s not just Paris and France which are affected, but the entire international community. Thirdly, it’s not just sport, but all events of a certain stature.”
RUGBY UNION
Packer receives support
New Zealand’s Russell Packer on Monday received support from fellow National Rugby League (NRL) players and supporters as he battled possible deportation from Australia over an assault conviction. An online petition supporting Packer surfaced two days ago and has attracted more than 1,700 signatures, including Konrad Hurrell and Jacob Lillyman. Manu Ma’u also put his name to the petition. Packer is training with St George Illawarra after being handed a lifeline by the club following his release from jail in January, but he is facing an uncertain future. Australian Minister of Immigration Peter Dutton cast doubt on Packer’s NRL return last month when he said he was considering canceling the New Zealand-born prop’s visa. Packer spent a year in prison after being found guilty of assault occasioning bodily harm for a street fight in which he stamped on the victim’s head.
SOCCER
Nepal, Laos officials banned
The ethics committee at world soccer body FIFA has banned two officials from Nepal and Laos for taking cash during elections, it said yesterday. Ganesh Thapa, president of the All-Nepal Football Association, was banned for 10 years and fined 20,000 Swiss francs (US$19,870), while Viphet Sihachakr, president of the Laotian Football Federation, got a two-year ban and a SF40,000 fine.
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
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