ATHLETICS
Taiwan bags shot put gold
Taiwan’s Chiang Jing-yuan on Sunday topped the girls’ shot put at the Asian U18 Athletics Championships in Kuwait, collecting her second gold of the tournament. The 15-year-old won gold with 17.82m, defeating South Korea’s Park So-jin and Iran’s Elaheh Alizadeh, who threw 16.89m and 14.92m respectively, at al-Kuwait Kaifan Stadium. Chiang’s throw broke Taiwan’s U18 girls’ record of 17.02m, which she set on Sept. 23 at a national meet in Taoyuan. Chiang on Friday collected Taiwan’s first gold in Kuwait in the discus, throwing a career-best 45.42m. Taiwan won six gold, one silver and two bronze medals at the tournament.
BASKETBALL
Taiwan makes World Cup
Taiwan’s 3x3 women’s basketball team on Sunday secured a spot at next year’s FIBA U18 World Cup, after defeating Mongolia 21-17 in their the U17 Asia Cup bronze medal match in Kuala Lumpur. After defeating Malaysia and Iran on Friday to advance to the quarter-finals, Taiwan routed India 21-4 on Sunday, before losing an 18-19 nail-biter to an undefeated Japan in the final four. In the bronze match, the team of Mi Jing-en, Cheng Li-hsuan, Huang Tzu-yun and Chang Yu-lan bounced back to earn one of the competition’s three World Cup berths. Taiwan’s men’s 3x3 team also made it into the bronze medal match against Mongolia, but lost 18-21 along with their hopes of a guaranteed spot in the World Cup. Kuo Chun-yen, Tsao Chen-hui, Yang Hao-siang and Yeh Wei-chieh played for the men’s team. The Asia Cup is one of several qualifying events for the 32-team World Cup, which is to be played in Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines.
BADMINTON
Taiwan sweep Bendigo
Taiwanese shuttlers on Sunday won all five titles at the YONEX Bendigo International in Australia. Chang Ko-chi and Lee Chih-chen won the mixed doubles after a hard-fought 16-21, 21-18, 21-17 victory over third seeds Sumiya Nihei and Minami Asakura of Japan. In the all-Taiwanese men’s singles final, Lin Chun-yi defeated compatriot Su Li-yang 21-19, 22-20. Sung Shuo-yun then scored an upset against Vietnamese top seed Thuy Linh Nguyen with a 21-19, 21-15 win in the women’s singles final. In another all-Taiwanese matchup, Lee Chia-hsin and Teng Chun-hsun edged out Chang Ching-hui and Yang Ching-tun 19-21, 22-20, 21-14 for the women’s doubles title. In the men’s doubles, Chang Ko-chi and Po Li-wei beat out Taiwanese twins Lee Fang-chih and Lee Fang-jen 21-15, 14-21, 22-20. Sunday’s feat came after Taiwanese shuttlers swept the Yonex Sydney International on Oct. 9, when Sung also won the women’s singles crown.
WEIGHTLIFTING
Taiwanese wins 2 medals
Taiwanese weightlifter Dong Bing-cheng on Sunday won two bronze medals in the men’s 109kg weight class at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Manama, Bahrain. Dong lifted 165kg in the snatch on his first attempt, but failed to lift 170kg on his second try and 171kg on his third. In the clean and jerk, Dong lifted 203kg on this first attempt, then pulled 206kg on his second try. On his final attempt, he hoisted 210kg, enough to guarantee him a bronze medal. The combined weight of 375kg in his best snatch and clean and jerk lifts also won him the other bronze medal.
After letting another big lead slip with an error-strewn performance at the French Open on Wednesday, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka felt like getting as far away from the courts as possible. “Just want to quit tennis right now,” Sabalenka said after wasting a lead of a set and two breaks in a 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 loss to Diana Shnaider in the women’s singles quarter-finals. “We’ll see in few days. Hopefully I’ll get back on track mentally.” Sabalenka’s wait for a first French Open title continues despite the four-time major winner leading 4-1 in the second set and being two points from victory while
BIG NAMES GONE: Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title, reaching semi-finals for the fifth time in six years and finishing second on three occasions Alexander Zverev on Tuesday breezed past Rafael Jodar to stay on course for an elusive Grand Slam title at the French Open, while Jakub Mensik halted Joao Fonseca’s scintillating run in the quarter-finals. Zverev, the highest-ranked player left in the men’s draw, put an end to Spanish teenager Jodar’s impressive Roland Garros debut, easing into the semi-finals with a 7-6, (7/3), 6-1, 6-3 win. The 29-year-old Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title. He has finished runner-up on three occasions, including at the 2024 French Open. “I want to win the matches that are ahead of
Liverpool are in advanced talks with former AFC Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola as they seek a replacement for Arne Slot, reports said on Tuesday. Iraola has emerged as Liverpool’s top target to replace Slot, who was sacked on Saturday last week after a turbulent second season in charge. Liverpool have reportedly agreed a deal in principle to bring the Spaniard, who left Bournemouth at the end of this season, to Anfield. Sporting director Richard Hughes was heavily involved in hiring Iraola during his time at Bournemouth and is again spearheading the recruitment of the highly rated coach. The Reds are
US President Donald Trump said he would attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday at Madison Square Garden, but said he does not have much sympathy for ordinary basketball fans who cannot afford sky-high ticket prices to do the same. “They can watch it on television,” Trump said aboard Air Force One on Friday as he flew to Wisconsin for an event with farmers, after he was asked about tickets that have climbed as high as US$8,000 each when the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs square off in Manhattan for the first time in the series. “It’s sorta
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