Tue, Jul 09, 2024 page7

• SPORTS BRIEFS

  • Staff writer, with Agencies
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  BASKETBALL

  Japan undefeated in Taipei

  Japan’s national women’s team yesterday beat the Philippines 85-83 on day three of the William Jones Cup in Taipei, despite the Philippines’ Afril Bernardino putting up a leading 21 points. Japan remain on top of the table, having won all three of their games in the five-day tournament so far. In the two later games, Taiwan’s A team thrashed Malaysia 76-45, while Thailand edged Taiwan’s B team 77-76. Taiwan’s Yang Chia-chia led the scoring with 22 points.

  BADMINTON

  Taiwan duo place second

  Taiwan’s Hsu Yin-hui and Lin Jhih-yun on Sunday placed second in the Yonex Canada Open in Calgary after losing their women’s doubles final against Japan’s Rin Iwanaga and Kie Nakanishi 21-13, 21-13. The Japanese world No. 10 pairing took 52 minutes to beat the Taiwanese duo, who are ranked 45th in the world.

  CYCLING

  Vingegaard ‘scared: Pogacar

  Tour de France overall leader Tadej Pogacar on Sunday voiced frustration with Jonas Vingegaard’s defensive tactics, saying that the defending champion was “scared,” after little-known Anthony Turgis of France won the ninth stage. The attack-minded Pogacar tried to break several times through the champagne vineyards, including dusty gravel roads for a first time, but finished alongside his title rivals Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel. “It’s a shame me, Remco and Jonas didn’t go for it together,” Slovenia’s Pogacar said. “I think it’s because of [Vingegaard’s team] Visma’s tactics. Otherwise, we’d have been the three of us on the podium. They are scared of me and just followed.” Second-placed Evenepoel agreed with Pogacar, but was less disappointed. “It’s a shame yes, we could have taken three or four minutes off the others,” Evenepoel said. “I had a good time though, I enjoyed it. You have to accept other team tactics.” Pogacar leads Belgium’s Evenepoel by just 33 seconds, and Vingegaard in third by one minute, 15 seconds. Vingegaard was seriously injured in March and was hospitalized for 12 days with a broken collarbone and ribs and a punctured lung.

  MOTOGP

  Bagnaia takes top spot

  Francesco Bagnaia on Sunday capitalized on Jorge Martin’s cruel late crash to win the German MotoGP and take control of the world championship. Martin appeared to have the race wrapped up, but made a mistake and fell at turn one on the penultimate lap to hand the win to the double world champion. Marc Marquez, who is to be Bagnaia’s teammate next season on the factory Ducati, took second, with Alex Marquez, his younger brother, completing the podium. “I don’t know what happened,” Martin said. “It took me by surprise, I was pretty much in control, the pace was good, I was riding perfectly.” Martin’s dramatic departure from the Sachsenring stage gifted not only the race victory to Bagnaia, but also the riders’ standings. Bagnaia heads into MotoGP’s summer break 10 points clear of Martin. “It wasn’t easy,” said Bagnaia, who won his fourth successive grand prix after Assen, Italy and Catalunya. “I saw Jorge was starting to make some mistakes on the last two or three laps, then when he had his crash I just slowed down a lot. [I’m] very happy. It’s the first time I win here in Sachensring,” Bagnaia said.
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