Winners of women’s and men’s taekwondo events crowned at Saudi Games

Winners of women’s and men’s taekwondo events crowned at Saudi Games
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The 2024 Saudi Games CEO Princess Dilayl Bint Nahar crowned on Tuesday the winners of the women’s taekwondo competitions in the 57 kg and 49 kg categories, which were held at Boulevard 2. (Supplied/Saudi Games)
Winners of women’s and men’s taekwondo events crowned at Saudi Games
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The 2024 Saudi Games CEO Princess Dilayl Bint Nahar crowned on Tuesday the winners of the women’s taekwondo competitions in the 57 kg and 49 kg categories, which were held at Boulevard 2. (Supplied/Saudi Games)
Winners of women’s and men’s taekwondo events crowned at Saudi Games
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The 2024 Saudi Games CEO Princess Dilayl Bint Nahar crowned on Tuesday the winners of the women’s taekwondo competitions in the 57 kg and 49 kg categories, which were held at Boulevard 2. (Supplied/Saudi Games)
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Updated 16 October 2024
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Winners of women’s and men’s taekwondo events crowned at Saudi Games

Winners of women’s and men’s taekwondo events crowned at Saudi Games
  • Ethar Hayyan and Dunya Abu Talib took gold in the women’s 49 kg and 57 kg categories, respectively
  • In the men’s competitions, Riyadh Hamdi claimed gold in the 58 kg category and Mohammed Al-Suwaig in the 80 kg

RIYADH: The winners of the 57 kg and 49 kg categories of the women’s taekwondo competition at the 2024 Saudi Games, and the 80 kg and 58 kg categories of the men’s, were decided on Tuesday at Boulevard 2 in Riyadh.

Ethar Hayyan from AlUla won gold in the 49 kg women’s category, beating silver-medalist Rahma Al-Khawaher of Al-Qadisiyah in the final. Losing semi-finalists Sahaf Al-Shammari from AlUla and Fatima Awad from Al-Raed each received a bronze medal.

In the 57 kg women’s category, Dunya Abu Talib of Al-Qadisiyah took gold, Lujain Attiyah of Al-Shabab received silver, and Layan Al-Muhammadi of Herra and Wijdan Al-Atwi of Al-Ittihad claimed bronze.

In the men’s 58 kg category, Riyadh Hamdi of Al-Qadisiyah was the gold-medal winner, with Abdulilah Asiri of Abha taking silver, and Fahd Al-Sumaih of Al-Shabab and Muadh Mohammed of Al-Faisaly receiving bronze.

Mohammed Al-Suwaig from Al-Shabab triumphed in the 80 kg men’s category, ahead of Mohammed Othman, also of Al-Shabab, and Majed Mabrouk from Al-Hilal, who grabbed silver and bronze respectively.

The women’s prizes were presented by the CEO of the Saudi Games, Princess Dilayl Bint Nahar. The men received their medals from Ahmad Al-Muqayrin, a board member of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and Brig. Gen. Shadad Al-Omari, president of the Saudi Taekwondo Federation.


Barcelona, Inter and upstart Brest win again in Champions League

Barcelona, Inter and upstart Brest win again in Champions League
Updated 07 November 2024
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Barcelona, Inter and upstart Brest win again in Champions League

Barcelona, Inter and upstart Brest win again in Champions League
  • Paris Saint-Germain, in their first season without Kylian Mbappe, trail far behind in 25th after Atletico Madrid scored in stoppage time to seal a 2-1 win for the Spanish team
  • Atalanta won 2-0 at Stuttgart to stay unbeaten on eight points and Salzburg got their first goals and points in a 3-1 win at Feyenoord

LONDON: Barcelona and Inter Milan won again in the Champions League on Wednesday though both former title holders are looking up in the standings toward upstart newcomer Brest.

Aston Villa started the week atop the 36-team table but their winning run ended after a bizarre penalty was awarded when defender Tyrone Mings picked up the ball in the area at Club Brugge, resulting in a 1-0 loss that sent the English club plummeting to eighth place.

Paris Saint-Germain, in their first season without Kylian Mbappe, trail far behind in 25th after Atletico Madrid scored in stoppage time to seal a 2-1 win for the Spanish team at Parc des Princes.

Barcelona’s blistering scoring form continued in a 5-2 win at Red Star Belgrade — a seventh straight win since the start of October at a rate of four goals per game. Robert Lewandowski scored twice and has 21 this season.

Inter Milan stifled Arsenal in a 1-0 win at San Siro sealed by Hakan Çalhanoglu’s penalty in first-half stoppage time.

Inter are unbeaten on 10 points and in fifth place, one below Brest who won 2-1 at Sparta Prague. The French debutant look sure to advance to the knockout phase starting in February.

Atalanta won 2-0 at Stuttgart to stay unbeaten on eight points and Salzburg got their first goals and points in a 3-1 win at Feyenoord.

Bayern Munich won 1-0 at home to Benfica in a game that was delayed 15 minutes by crowd congestion and then was played in a muted atmosphere because of a medical incident for a fan.

Shakhtar Donetsk playmaker Heorhiy Sudakov had a fine assist and an even better goal in a 2-1 win for the Ukrainian champion against Young Boys. Shakhtar’s No. 10 showed why he is expected to be the club’s next big-money sale.

Liverpool, who on Tuesday routed Bayer Leverkusen 4-0, lead the standings at the midway point of the eight-round program.

Liverpool are the only team with four straight wins, while five teams have four losses. They are Leipzig, Sturm Graz, Young Boys, Red Star and Slovan Bratislava.

Two Italian teams – Inter Milan and Atalanta – have yet to concede a goal in four games. Another Italian side, Bologna, is the only team with no goals scored.

Villa slide

Villa had led the standings in the new league-phase format after three straight wins without conceding a goal — and it took a bizarre incident before goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was eventually beaten.

Mings was punished for picking up the ball when Martinez seemed to restart play with a goal kick passed forward to his teammate. Mings walked a couple steps to gather the ball with his left hand and returned to place it in the six-yard box.

“It’s the biggest mistake I witnessed in my career,” Villa coach Unai Emery said. “It has only happened one time in all my life. Today.”

Brugge captain Hans Vanaken placed the 52nd-minute spot-kick to Martinez’s left as the World Cup-winning Argentina goalkeeper dived to his right.

Bayern and Dinamo

It was the standout result of the inaugural week of the new Champions League in September: Bayern Munich 9, Dinamo Zagreb 2.

It was the first time a team had scored nine times in a game in the 32-year Champions League era, and Dinamo fired its coach two days later.

Since then? Bayern lost twice, including a 4-1 rout at Barcelona, and Dinamo won twice. At the end of play Wednesday, Bayern were 17th on six points, one place below Dinamo on seven. If those placings hold until January, they meet again twice more in the knockout playoffs round.

Next up

The fifth round in three weeks’ time has perhaps the stellar attraction of 144 games in the league phase: Liverpool vs. Real Madrid.

That game on Nov. 27 is a rematch of the 2022 and 2018 finals, both won by Madrid, and the 1981 European Cup titl e match that Liverpool won.

There is another final rematch: Bayern Munich hosts PSG on Nov. 26 in a repeat of the pandemic-season final played in August 2020 without fans in Lisbon. Also, sixth-place Barcelona hosts Brest, a fixture which might have been overlooked when the draw was made in August yet the French team is currently fourth.

Only the top eight teams in January advance directly to the round of 16 in March.


Inter hand Arsenal first defeat in Champions League

Inter hand Arsenal first defeat in Champions League
Updated 07 November 2024
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Inter hand Arsenal first defeat in Champions League

Inter hand Arsenal first defeat in Champions League

MILAN, Italy: Inter Milan maintained their unbeaten start in the Champions League with a 1-0 win over Arsenal on Wednesday as the Gunners suffered their first defeat in the competition this season.
Hakan Calhanoglu scored a penalty in first-half stoppage time after a handball from Mikel Merino, leaving the Italian champions with 10 points from four matches and Arsenal on seven points.


Tickets for Oleksandr Usyk-Tyson Fury rematch in Riyadh now on sale

Tickets for Oleksandr Usyk-Tyson Fury rematch in Riyadh now on sale
Updated 07 November 2024
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Tickets for Oleksandr Usyk-Tyson Fury rematch in Riyadh now on sale

Tickets for Oleksandr Usyk-Tyson Fury rematch in Riyadh now on sale
  • ‘Usyk vs. Fury: Reignited’ is at the Kingdom Arena on Dec. 21, just 7 months after the former defeated the latter in a split decision at the same venue
  • Other bouts include Serhii Bohachuk vs. Israil Madrimov, Johnny Fisher vs. David Allen, Dennis McCann vs. Peter McGrail, and Isaac Lowe vs. Lee McGregor

RIYADH: Tickets for “Usyk vs. Fury Reignited,” the much anticipated rematch between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, are now on sale through the Webook app, organizers said on Wednesday.

The heavyweight boxing contest will take place on Dec. 21 at the Kingdom Arena. In the main event, Ukrainian heavyweight champion Usyk will once again face off against British powerhouse Fury. The former emerged victorious in a split decision when the pair last did battle at the same venue on May 18, as part of Riyadh Season.

Known for his speed and agility, Usyk holds all major championship belts in the heavyweight division, making him the first boxer in 25 years to claim unified heavyweight titles. Fury, meanwhile, brings a wealth of experience and raw strength, and is celebrated for his knockout power and tactical prowess.

Also on on the card, Ukrainian Serhii Bohachuk will take on Israil Madrimov of Uzbekistan. Bohachuk has an impressive record of 24 wins, including 23 knockouts, while Madrimov has 10 wins to his name, seven of them by knockout.

Other matchups include what could be an electrifying bout between the unbeaten Johnny Fisher, who has a record of 12 wins and 11 knockouts, and British veteran David Allen, who has 31 bouts under his belt. Dennis McCann will battle fellow Brit Peter McGrail, with the former aiming to extend a flawless 16-win record while while the latter hopes to secure his 11th victory.

Englishman Isaac Lowe and Scotsman Lee McGregor will also go head-to-head in what promises to be an intense battle. Lowe brings with him experience gained from 30 fights, while McGregor boasts a strong record of 14 wins, including 11 knockouts, making this one of the most-anticipated bouts of the night.


Bizarre penalty sends Aston Villa to first Champions League loss at Brugge

Bizarre penalty sends Aston Villa to first Champions League loss at Brugge
Updated 06 November 2024
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Bizarre penalty sends Aston Villa to first Champions League loss at Brugge

Bizarre penalty sends Aston Villa to first Champions League loss at Brugge
  • Villa had led the 36-team Champions League standings after three straight wins without conceding a goal
  • The loss leaves Villa in fifth place in the standings now led by Liverpool

BRUGES, Belgium: A strange penalty for handball ended Aston Villa’s winning run in the Champions League on Wednesday as the English team lost 1-0 at Club Brugge.
In the other early game, Shakhtar Donetsk playmaker Heorhiy Sudakov had a fine assist and an even better goal in a 2-1 win for the Ukrainian champion against Young Boys.
Villa had led the 36-team Champions League standings after three straight wins without conceding a goal — and they took a bizarre incident before goalkeeper Emi Martínez was eventually beaten.
Villa defender Tyrone Mings was punished for picking up the ball when Martínez seemed to restart play with a goal kick passed short to his teammate.
Mings walked forward a couple steps to gather the ball with his left hand and returned to place it at the corner of the six-yard box.
The penalty kick was awarded and Brugge captain Hans Vanaken scored in the 52nd minute, placing the ball to Martínez’s left as the World Cup-winning Argentina goalkeeper dived to his right.
Martínez tried to persuade German referee Tobias Stieler after the game that he had made a mistake.
The loss leaves Villa in fifth place in the standings now led by Liverpool, with Inter Milan, Arsenal and Brest all able to rise above coach Unai Emery’s team with a win later Wednesday. Inter were hosting Arsenal at San Siro.
Club Brugge have six points, from two wins and two losses and were provisionally in 20th place, which after all eight rounds in January would earn a place in the knockout playoffs round.
Shakhtar’s Sudakov showed against Young Boys why he is expected to be the club’s next big-money sale.
Both teams came into the game without scoring a goal in the first three rounds of the new league phase format.
Swiss champion Young Boys are struggling in 10th place in their domestic title defense and took an unexpected lead in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, where Shakhtar are playing their Champions League home games during the military invasion by Russia.
After the Shakhtar defense was caught in the 27th minute playing short passes deep in their own half, Kastriot Imeri struck with a low shot from the edge of the penalty area.
Shakhtar was level four minutes later when Sudakov’s precise pass into the goalmouth eluded a circle of five Young Boys players to find Oleksandr Zubkov for a tap-in.
Sudakov cleverly created space in the 41st to stride forward and fire a low shot from 20 yards (meters) into the far corner of the net past diving goalkeeper Marvin Keller.
Shakhtar are outside the playoff places in 26th, with four points, and Young Boys is 35th and among six teams with zero points.


Zheng advances to semis of WTA Finals in Riyadh with victory over Paolini

Zheng advances to semis of WTA Finals in Riyadh with victory over Paolini
Updated 06 November 2024
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Zheng advances to semis of WTA Finals in Riyadh with victory over Paolini

Zheng advances to semis of WTA Finals in Riyadh with victory over Paolini
  • The Olympic gold medalist, seeded 7th, sweeps aside 4th seed Paolini 6-1, 6-1 in just 67 minutes, her 30th win in 35 matches
  • Already eliminated Rybakina claims consolation 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 victory over world No. 1 Sabalenka, who secured semi-final spot on Monday

RIYADH: Zheng Qinwen continues to deliver in her breakthrough season, as she advanced to last four of the WTA Finals in Riyadh on Wednesday with a victory over Wimbledon finalist Jasmine Paolini.

The Chinese Olympic gold medalist swept past fourth seed Paolini 6-1, 6-1 in a mere 67 minutes. It was her 30th victory in 35 matches.

Meanwhile, Elena Rybakina claimed a consolation 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 victory over world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who had already secured her semi-final spot as group winner on Monday.

Rybakina, who was already out of the competition after losing her first two matches, finally found form against Sabalenka. It was a much-needed confidence boost for the world No. 5, who missed most of the second half of the season with allergies, insomnia and a back injury.

“It was a tough match and I’m really happy that I managed to win,” said Rybakina, who shared a warm embrace with Sabalenka at the net. “I think it’s nice to finish the year at least with one win against the world No. 1.”

The loss was only Sabalenka’s second in 24 matches. She was yet to learn who she will face in Friday’s semi-final but whatever happens, she has reason to celebrate as she clinched the year-end No. 1 ranking when Iga Swiatek was defeated by Coco Gauff on Tuesday.

However, the Belarusian does not intend to let that achievement distract her from the task at hand, which is to lift the WTA Finals trophy for the first time in her career.

“It’s a really great feeling but I figured that last night and it didn’t work really well tonight for me, so I just want to focus on the current tournament, to stay hungry and stay motivated, because it’s a big tournament and it’s also one of my goals, so I’ll focus on this goal,” Sabalenka said on Wednesday.

In the last day of round-robin action in the Purple Group, Zheng and Paolini were fighting it out for the second qualification spot behind Sabalenka.

Zheng, seeded seventh, locked down her place in the last four with a dominating performance as she became the first Chinese player to make it out of the group stage at the event since Li Na in 2013.

“That was 11 years ago; I’m really proud I could make it,” said the 22-year-old. “I didn’t know what to expect coming to these WTA Finals for the first time. I was in a very difficult group.

“It’s one of the best performances I’ve had during this year. Really good percentage of first serves. I felt really good on my groundstrokes and I made a couple of good volleys. I really enjoyed it.”

An aggressive return earned Zheng her first break of the match in game three and then she broke again and held her serves to go 5-1 up. Paolini, a two-time Grand Slam finalist this season, saved one set point on her own serve in game seven but Zheng kept her foot on the gas to close out the 32-minute set on the second opportunity.

Zheng was just as impressive in the second set, and after saving a break point while serving for the match at 5-1 she closed out the win with her 12th ace of the match.

“I finally feel that my serve has started to be a bit more consistent,” said Zheng, who leads the tour in aces and first-serve points won this season.

This was her fourth victory in as many meetings with Paolini, who will remain in Riyadh to battle for a semi-final spot in the doubles competition alongside fellow Italian Sara Errani.

Since Wimbledon in July, Zheng has recorded the most wins of any woman on the tour. Besides taking gold in the singles at the Olympics, she defended her Palermo title, reached the quarter-finals of the US Open, the semi-finals in Beijing, the final in Wuhan, and lifted the trophy in Tokyo. Three of her five defeats during that run were at the hands of Sabalenka and she said she has been impressed by the Belarusian’s form this season. Zheng’s record against Sabalenka is 0-5, and she said this is a big source of motivation for her.

“She won two slams,” Zheng said. “This is really big achievement for her. And I remember last year, she won her first Grand Slam in the Australian Open. And then she kept going, kept working.

“But you know, both slams that she won this year, I lost against her on the way. Which means if I want to win a slam, I have to be able to beat her. And I’m quite excited for that day.”