BASKETBALL
Japan lead at William Jones
Haru Owaki yesterday scored 16 points as Japan beat the Taiwan women’s national basketball team B 94-42 on the second day of the William Jones Cup in Taipei, while Taiwan’s A team dominated Thailand 92-60. In the early game, the Philippines outplayed Malaysia 29-21. On Saturday, Chen Yu-chieh scored 13 points as Taiwan’s B team overpowered the Philippines 73-60, while Japan defeated Taiwan’s A team 97-46 to start their tournament campaign undefeated. In the opening game of the William Cup, Thailand beat Malaysia 62-59.
BADMINTON
Taiwan duo in Canada final
Taiwan’s Hsu yin-hui and Lin Jhih-yun on Saturday downed compatriots Hsieh Pei-shan and Hung En-tzu 21-13, 11-21, 21-19 to advance to the women’s doubles final at the Yonex Canada Open in Calgary. The women’s doubles world No. 45 duo were last night to play the world No. 10 pairing of Rin Iwanaga and Kie Nakanishi of Japan, who defeated Thailand’s Laksika Kanlaha and Phataimas Muenwong 18-21, 21-17, 21-8 to advance. In the mixed doubles semi-finals, Hsu and Chen Cheng-kuan fell 21-19, 21-14 to Denmark’s Jesper Toft and Amalie Magelund, while in the other mixed doubles semi-final, Hung and Ming Che-lu lost to Denmark’s Mathias Christiansen and Alexandra Boje 21-4, 21-15.
FOOTBALL
Vikings rookie killed in crash
Minnesota Vikings rookie cornerback Khyree Jackson and two others were killed in a car crash in suburban Washington, the Maryland State Police said on Saturday. He was 24. Jackson, selected by the Vikings in the fourth round of this year’s NFL Draft, was a front-seat passenger in a Dodge Charger and pronounced dead on the scene by emergency medical personnel in a three-car incident in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. “I’m absolutely crushed by this news,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said. “Khyree brought a contagious energy to our facility and our team. His confidence and engaging personality immediately drew his teammates to him.”
CYCLING
Rider dies after fall
Norwegian rider Andre Drege has died after injuries he sustained in a fall while racing downhill on the penultimate stage of the Tour of Austria, organizers said on Saturday. The 25-year-old Coop Repsol rider had joined the leading group on one of Austria’s highest roads in the Grossglockner region on the fourth and penultimate stage of the race, when he fell, the organizers said in a statement. The podium ceremony for Saturday’s stage was canceled.
CYCLING
Rider fined for kiss
French rider Julien Bernard was fined 200 Swiss francs (US$222.98) by the International Cycling Union (UCI) after he stopped to kiss his wife during the time-trial seventh stage of the Tour de France. Fifteen minutes into Friday’s time trial, the rider paused to kiss his wife and young son who were standing nearby. The UCI said in a statement that Bernard’s behavior had been inappropriate and damaged the image of the sport. “I’m sorry UCI for damaging the image of the sport,” Bernard wrote on X. “But I’m willing to pay 200 Swiss francs every day and experience this moment again.”
Hong Kong-based cricket team Hung See this weekend found success in their matches in Taiwan, even if none of the results went their way. Hung See played the Chairman’s XI on Saturday morning, the Daredevils that afternoon and PCCT yesterday, with all three home teams winning. The team for Chinese players at the Happy Valley-based Craigengower Cricket Club sends teams on tour to “spread the game of cricket.” This weekend was Hung See’s second trip to Taiwan after visiting Tainan in 2016. “The club has been traveling to all parts of the world since 1982 and the annual tradition continues [with the Taiwan
Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei yesterday advanced to the semi-finals of the women’s doubles at the Australian Open, while Coco Gauff’s dreams of a first women’s singles title in Melbourne were crushed in the quarter-finals by Paula Badosa. World No. 2 Alexander Zverev was ruffled by a stray feather in his men’s singles quarter-final, but he refocused to beat 12th seed Tommy Paul and reach the semi-finals. Third seeds Hsieh and Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia defeated Elena-Gabriela Ruse of Romania and Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 6-2, 5-7, 7-5 in 2 hours, 20 minutes to advance the semi-finals. Hsieh and Ostapenko converted eight of 14 break
The San Francisco Giants signed 18-year-old Taiwanese pitcher Yang Nien-hsi (陽念希) to a contract worth a total of US$500,000 (NT $16.39 million). At a press event in Taipei on Wednesday, Jan. 22, the Giants’ Pacific Rim Area scout Evan Hsueh (薛奕煌) presented Yang with a Giants jersey to celebrate the signing. The deal consisted of a contract worth US$450,000 plus a US$50,000 scholarship bonus. Yang, who stands at 188 centimeters tall and weighs 85 kilograms, is of Indigenous Amis descent. With his fastest pitch clocking in at 150 kilometers per hour, Yang had been on Hsueh’s radar since playing in the HuaNan Cup
HARD TO SAY GOODBYE: After Coco Gauff dispatched Belinda Bencic in the fourth round, she wrote ‘RIP TikTok USA’ and drew a broken heart on a television camera lens Defending champion Hsieh Su-wei of Taiwan yesterday advanced to the quarter-finals of the women’s doubles at the Australian Open, while compatriot Chan Hao-ching on Saturday dominated her opponents in the second round, as world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka swept into the quarter-finals. Third seeds Hsieh and Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia toppled Hungary’s Timea Babos and Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the US 6-4, 6-3, hitting 24 winners and converting three of seven break points in 1 hour, 18 minutes at 1573 Arena. Although rivals at last year’s Australian Open — where Hsieh and Belgium’s Elise Mertens beat Ostapenko and Ukraine’s Lyudmyla Kichenok 6-1, 7-5
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