Ominous China make golden start on first day of Asian Games

Ominous China make golden start on first day of Asian Games
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Gold medalists China's Lu Shiyu and Shen Shuangmei during a medal ceremony after the women's double sculls final event of rowing at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou in China's eastern Zhejiang province on Sunday. (AFP)
Ominous China make golden start on first day of Asian Games
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China's Sun Peiyuan on the way to defending his men's changquan wushu title at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou Sunday (AP)
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Updated 24 September 2023
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Ominous China make golden start on first day of Asian Games

Ominous China make golden start on first day of Asian Games
  • China won six of the seven golds at the Fuyang Water Sports Center rowing venue on Sunday morning
  • Sun successfully defended his men’s changquan wushu title from 2018, ahead of Indonesia’s Edgar Xavier Marvelo

HANGZHOU: Hosts China swept the first gold medals at the Asian Games in Hangzhou on Sunday in a statement of intent on day one of the region’s answer to the Olympics.

China claimed the first gold when Zou Jiaqi and Qiu Xiuping dominated the women’s lightweight double sculls rowing to kick off a medal rush for the home nation.

The Chinese pair finished in 7min 6.78sec, with Uzbekistan’s Luizakhon Islamova and Malika Tagmativa taking silver — almost 10 seconds behind.

“I am very excited as it’s my first Asian Games,” said Zou, clutching her gold medal.

“Stepping on to the podium today is a new starting point to help us prepare for next year’s Paris Olympics,” said Qiu.

Indonesia’s Chelsea Corputty and Rahma Mutiara Putri won bronze.

The hosts soon doubled up on the rowing lake as the men’s lightweight double sculls gold was won by Fan Junjie and Sun Man, who finished five seconds clear of India’s Arjun Lal Jat and Arvind Singh.

China won six of the seven golds at the Fuyang Water Sports Center rowing venue on Sunday morning with only Hong Kong’s Lam San-tung and Wong Wai-chun getting in on the party by winning the men’s pairs.

China’s shooters also claimed the women’s 10m team air rifle.

The hosts’ rip-roaring start to the 19th Asian Games, which end on October 8, continued as Sun Peiyuan won the first martial arts gold.

Sun successfully defended his men’s changquan wushu title from 2018, ahead of Indonesia’s Edgar Xavier Marvelo with Macau’s Song Chi-kuan third.

“I’m so very excited, I’m lost for words,” said Sun.

China won 10 of the first 11 golds in the early action on Sunday.

Swimming is one of the highlights of the Games and will see seven finals later on Sunday at the Hangzhou Olympic Center Aquatic Sports Arena, where China are also expected to dominate.

Triple breaststroke world champion Qin Haiyang upstaged Olympic gold medallist Wang Shun in the morning heats to qualify fastest for the men’s 200m individual medley final.

Qin burst on to the scene at the July world championships in Fukuoka, becoming the first man in history to sweep all three breaststroke titles and also setting a new world record in the 200m.

Tokyo Olympic gold medallist Zhang Yufei, also from the host nation, fired off a warning shot of her own with a dominant 200m butterfly swim, touching more than three seconds clear of teammate Yu Liyan and Japan’s Airi Mitsui.

South Korean sensation Hwang Sun-woo got the better of breakout Chinese freestyler Pan Zhanle in their 100m heat, though China’s Wang Haoyu qualified fastest in 48.13.

Elsewhere, India’s women cricketers ripped through Bangladesh, dismissing them for just 51 in the first semifinal.

They knocked off their target in just 8.2 overs and will face either Pakistan or Sri Lanka in Monday’s final of the Twenty20 competition.

Other sports beginning on Sunday include boxing, rugby sevens, hockey and the wildly popular eSports — where superstars such as South Korea’s “Faker” are expected to draw huge crowds for its debut as a full Asian Games medal event.

President Xi Jinping opened the Games on Saturday night after a delay of a year because of China’s now-abandoned zero-COVID policy.

With more than 12,000 competitors from 45 nations and territories, the Asian Games has more participants than the Olympics.

They will battle for medals in 40 sports across 54 venues.

Most events take place in Hangzhou, a city of 12 million people near Shanghai, but some sports are being staged in cities as far afield as Wenzhou, 300 kilometers (180 miles) to the south.


Arsenal primed for Emery reunion as Man City fight to end slum

Arsenal primed for Emery reunion as Man City fight to end slum
Updated 24 sec ago
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Arsenal primed for Emery reunion as Man City fight to end slum

Arsenal primed for Emery reunion as Man City fight to end slum
  • Villa’s 1-0 win against Manchester City on Wednesday was the club’s most significant result for years
  • John Stones has urged Manchester City to keep their composure amid a worrying slump

LONDON: Arsenal’s grip on the Premier League’s top spot will be under threat from their old boss Unai Emery when the leaders travel to surging Aston Villa on Saturday.

If the Gunners slip up, Liverpool will seize pole position with a win against Crystal Palace, while reeling Manchester City aim to get back on track at Luton.

Here are the three talking points ahead of this weekend’s action:

 

When Unai Emery arrived at Aston Villa in October 2022, his new team were languishing just three points above the relegation zone.

Now, they sit third in the table ahead of a seismic showdown against leaders Arsenal that would have seemed impossible during the dark days before Emery’s transformative appointment.

Villa’s 1-0 win against Manchester City on Wednesday was the club’s most significant result for years, showcasing the impressive work done by Emery to revive a moribund club and infusing his players with belief they can do something special this season.

It is fitting that the latest test of Emery’s revolution comes against Arsenal, who sacked him in 2019 midway through a second troubled season in north London.

City manager Pep Guardiola labelled Villa as title contenders on Wednesday after Emery’s 50th match in charge served to underline his remarkable impact.

“I can come back in my mind and think how we were when we started this process,” Emery said. “We lost against Leicester and Arsenal at home. We couldn’t concede eight goals in two matches like we did.

“It was a key moment when we reacted in a meeting with the players, focusing more our idea and our style, building and being very demanding in it. The players, they reacted very well.”

 

John Stones has urged Manchester City to keep their composure amid a worrying slump that threatens to derail their bid for a fourth successive title.

City’s winless run extended to four league games on Wednesday as Aston Villa’s 1-0 victory increased the sense of concern surrounding Pep Guardiola’s side.

The treble winners were comprehensively outplayed, leaving Guardiola to admit he needed to “help” his “struggling” team.

Trailing Arsenal by six points, Stones believes City can use the pain of their stumble to stop the rot in a tricky assignment at Luton on Sunday.

The Hatters have already drawn with Liverpool at home and came within seconds of a point against Arsenal, before losing 4-3 on Tuesday.

“We have to use the hurt and the pain that is within us as motivation and fuel to put things right. I think everyone has that desire,” Stones said.

“We’ve been in these positions in previous seasons. I don’t think we or everyone should be hyping about what is going to happen. We have to stay calm as a team.”

 

As Liverpool head into a crucial period for their title ambitions, Jurgen Klopp’s irritation at a joke about his team’s quick turnaround to play Crystal Palace on Saturday laid bare the German’s desire to keep pace with leaders Arsenal.

The Reds boss branded a television presenter “ignorant” following his side’s 2-0 win at Sheffield United on Wednesday when he mentioned second-placed Liverpool travel to Palace at Klopp’s “favorite kick-off time.”

That was an ill-fated reference to Klopp complaining on previous occasions when Liverpool have been forced to play at 1230 GMT on a Saturday after a Wednesday evening match.

“That’s really brave to make a joke about that,” Klopp grumbled, but he will be reassured to hear Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk’s willingness to take on the challenge of coping with the gruelling schedule.

“Listen, we are in December and there are so many games to come. For us now, it’s a good start to December and we have plenty of big games to come. We should all look forward to it,” he said.

 

Fixtures

Saturday (1500 GMT unless stated)

Aston Villa vs. Arsenal (1730), Brighton vs. Burnley, Crystal Palace vs. Liverpool (1230), Manchester United vs. Bournemouth, Sheffield United vs. Brentford, Wolves vs. Nottingham Forest

Sunday (1400 GMT unless stated)

Everton vs. Chelsea, Fulham vs. West Ham, Luton vs. Manchester City, Tottenham vs. Newcastle (1630)


Italy’s anti-doping tribunal chases four-year ban for Pogba

Italy’s anti-doping tribunal chases four-year ban for Pogba
Updated 08 December 2023
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Italy’s anti-doping tribunal chases four-year ban for Pogba

Italy’s anti-doping tribunal chases four-year ban for Pogba
  • Proceedings by the Italian sports justice system are underway while the Turin public prosecutor’s office has also started a judicial investigation, as doping is a criminal offense in Italy
  • Pogba’s representatives said the testosterone came from a food supplement prescribed by a doctor he consulted in the US

ROME: France’s World Cup winner Paul Pogba is facing the possibility of a lengthy ban after Italy’s anti-doping tribunal called for a four-year suspension for the Juventus midfielder, a club source told AFP on Thursday.

Pogba, 30, was provisionally suspended in September after he tested positive for testosterone.

A month later a B sample confirmed the presence of the substance.

Proceedings by the Italian sports justice system are underway while the Turin public prosecutor’s office has also started a judicial investigation, as doping is a criminal offense in Italy.

“I can confirm that we received this morning this notification from the anti-doping agency with four years (suspension) requested,” the Juve source told AFP.

The 2018 World Cup winner’s sample was reportedly taken at his club’s opening match of the Serie A season, a win at Udinese on August 20, during which he was an unused substitute.

Pogba’s representatives said the testosterone came from a food supplement prescribed by a doctor he consulted in the US.

Under the World Anti-Doping Code, Pogba is liable to a four-year suspension, which could be halved if he proves that he was not at fault.

The ban could even be limited to a few months if the use of the substance took place “out of competition and is not related to his level of performance.”

Since the announcement of his positive test, Pogba has been unable to train with Juventus, the club to which he returned in July 2022 after six seasons with United.

The recommendation from the tribunal is the latest in on and off the field issues for Pogba.

From being on top of the world Pogba has slowly slipped down to the depths, ravaged by injuries and a difficult personal life which he admits has been adversely affected by the vast sums of money earned by football’s top players.

In March 2022, intruders, who included childhood friends, broke into Pobga’s home and held him against his will, demanding 13 million euros ($14 million).

Pogba ended up paying 100,000 euros of the sum and the affair taught him that “the only people who can hurt are the people who are close to you.”

A knee issue kept him sidelined from the 2022 World Cup with France coach Didier Deschamps saying he hoped the playmaker “rediscovers his smile.”

A month after suffering the injury, his brother Mathias released a video in which he threatened to reveal secrets about his superstar sibling.

Juve have also suspended payment of his estimated annual salary of €8 million($8.4 million).


Eddie Howe refuses to point finger of blame at Kieran Trippier after costly Newcastle United errors

Eddie Howe refuses to point finger of blame at Kieran Trippier after costly Newcastle United errors
Updated 08 December 2023
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Eddie Howe refuses to point finger of blame at Kieran Trippier after costly Newcastle United errors

Eddie Howe refuses to point finger of blame at Kieran Trippier after costly Newcastle United errors

LIVERPOOL: Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe refused to point the finger at Kieran Trippier as the Magpies capitulated in the Premier League at Everton.

Three individual errors, as the game looked to be heading towards a 0-0 draw, saw the relegation-threatened Toffees, claim all three points at Goodison Park.

Late strikes from Dwight McNeil and Abdoulaye Doucoure, after Trippier handed them possession inexplicably, saw the hosts on their way, before the England full-back played substitute Beto onside as he slotted home the third in added time.

Despite that, Howe refused to point the finger at Trippier, instead placing the blame for defeat on the collective, rather than the individual.

The head coach said: “Kieran has been absolutely magnificent since signing for the club and has been the catalyst of our success. Collectively we were off our best today.

"We have to do better, there are reasons behind every performance and we have struggled to change players. That is a big miss with the quality of players out. The longer you do it, the harder it gets. I am disappointed, a missed opportunity, we did not grab it."

While Newcastle's home form has been up their with the title challengers, their away form has been the exact opposite. Howe's side have won just one game in the Premier League away from St James' Park, the 8-0 mauling of Sheffield United back in September.

"The game was there for us to win in the second half. The first half was even and we had them penned in in the second half. We conceded the first goal and it changed the momentum of the match. Frustrating and a chance missed," he said.

“Last year our away form was good, free-scoring and the defensive record was good. We have not got going on the road, apart from the Sheffield United game. Something for us to analyse."

In a season full of injury blows, the Magpies again suffered a scare with skipper Jamaal Lascelles withdrawn late on. Howe, however, has allayed fears this particular injury is anything serious.

Howe said: "I don’t think it is a serious one, it looks like a dead leg.

“You have to take into account Lewis Miley and his age, a huge ask but he handled himself really well. We have a lot of difficult situations at the moment which we have to manage. Today I have to call the performance as I see it, we weren't at our best."

Next up for United is another tough-looking trip to Tottenham Hotspur, who themselves have been faltering due to injuries.

"The beauty of football is that you have another game. We are desperate for help with players back and hopefully that will happen," said Howe.


Spanish ace Rahm poised to join LIV Golf: Reports

Spanish ace Rahm poised to join LIV Golf: Reports
Updated 08 December 2023
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Spanish ace Rahm poised to join LIV Golf: Reports

Spanish ace Rahm poised to join LIV Golf: Reports
  • Multiple US media outlets reported on Thursday Major winner set to make the switch

LOS ANGELES: Spanish star Jon Rahm is poised to join LIV Golf in a deal worth hundreds of millions of dollars, multiple US media outlets reported on Thursday.
The 29-year-old two-time major champion, who had previously pledged his loyalty to the PGA Tour during golf’s bitter civil war, could sign for the Saudi-backed circuit by the end of this week, reports said.
The Wall Street Journal, Sports Illustrated and ESPN all reported on Thursday that the reigning Masters champion was finalizing a deal to quit the PGA Tour for LIV.
Rahm’s representatives have not commented on the reported deal, which reports have said could be worth between $300 million and $600 million to the Spaniard.
If Rahm’s defection to LIV is confirmed, he would become one of the biggest stars to join LIV, the upstart circuit whose emergence has upended the golfing world over the past two years.
The looming capture of Rahm comes as the PGA Tour and the Saudi backers of LIV Golf attempt to finalize the details of their bombshell merger announced in June.
A deadline of December 31 has been set to agree a framework for the new PGA-LIV joint venture.
The Journal speculated Rahm’s signing could either be a tactic by LIV’s backers to force the PGA Tour to conclude a deal by the agreed deadline, or a move to give fresh impetus to the rival circuit in 2024 if the proposed joint tie-up collapses.
The possibility of Rahm jumping ship to LIV had once seemed unthinkable.
While LIV successfully recruited major winners such as Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith, Rahm had been one of the most staunch PGA loyalists, repeatedly stating that the riches offered by LIV held no appeal when balanced against the tradition of the PGA Tour.
“I laugh when people rumor me with LIV. I’ve never liked the format,” Rahm said earlier this year.
Last year, Rahm said he had discussed the possibility of a move with his wife Kelley and decided to remain firmly in the PGA Tour camp.
“Money is great, but when Kelly and I started talking about it, we’re like, ‘Would our lifestyle change if we got $400 million?’ No,” Rahm said.
“It would not change one bit. Truth be told, I could retire right now and I could live a very happy life and not play golf again.
“I’ve never really played the game of golf for monetary reasons. I play for the love of the game, and I want to play against the best in the world.”
In February last year, Rahm had given a categorical assurance he would remain with the PGA Tour.
“This is my official, my one and only time I’ll talk about this, where I am officially declaring my fealty to the PGA Tour,” Rahm said.
“There has been a lot of talk and speculation about the Saudi league. It’s just not something I believe is the best for me and my future in golf, and I think the best legacy I can accomplish will be with the PGA Tour.”


New era as Women’s U20 ‘Green Falcons’ get their wings

New era as Women’s U20 ‘Green Falcons’ get their wings
Updated 08 December 2023
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New era as Women’s U20 ‘Green Falcons’ get their wings

New era as Women’s U20 ‘Green Falcons’ get their wings
  • SAFF has officially announced the formation of the Women’s U20 National Team
  • Scotland’s Pauline Hamill appointed as head coach, bringing over 30 years of experience

RIYADH: A new era in Saudi Arabian football begins with the formation of the Women’s U20 National Team, which is expected to play a crucial role in the development of young footballers in the Kingdom.

This initiative is part of the SAFF’s broader strategy to create sustainable and clear career paths for aspiring women footballers, reflecting a commitment to the growth of the sport at all levels.

The team, comprising talented players from the senior national team and those advancing from the U17 squad, is already engaged in their first training camp. The training camp is currently taking place in Riyadh from 5-11 December 2023. 

“A new chapter in Saudi women’s football begins today with the launch of the U20 National Team. This team is a beacon of hope and opportunity for our young athletes, illuminating the path to international success,”  said Head of the Women’s Football Department at the SAFF Aalia AlRasheed.

“We are confident that under the expert guidance of Pauline Hamill, these young women will not only grow as players but also become role models for future generations. Their journey represents our unwavering commitment to elevating women’s football in Saudi Arabia and on the global stage,” added AlRasheed.

Pauline Hamill, the newly appointed head coach of the U20 team, brings a wealth of experience to the role. Her distinguished career includes playing for the Scotland National team, earning 141 caps over 18 years, and coaching various youth teams within the Scottish FA, including the U15s, U16s, U17s, and the Scotland Women’s U19s National team.

Hamill’s appointment is a significant boost to the team’s prospects and reflects the SAFF’s ambition to compete at the highest levels in future regional and international competitions.

The team is eagerly preparing for its first friendly match in March 2024, a key milestone in their preparation for future competitions.