CYCLING
Cavendish wins final race
Mark Cavendish on Sunday sprinted to victory in the Tour de France Singapore Criterium with a signature surge to the line in his final race. “I really wanted that so bad,” the 39-year-old British cycling great said after the 166th victory of his career. “I’m terribly emotional. I realized in the last five laps that this was the last 15km of my career and I felt that, but I was so much on the limit.” Coming out of the last bend, Cavendish, who holds the record for most stage wins on the Tour de France, briefly latched onto the wheel of defending champion Jasper Philipsen before pulling away and raising his arms in triumph one last time, to deafening cheers from the crowd who had gathered for the race.
Photo: Reuters
SURFING
Surfers mass for record
Three hundred surfers over the age of 50 gathered at the weekend in Sao Paulo to attempt a world record for the most people riding the same wave. Participants, many of whom took up surfing later in life, arrived early, eager to hit the water. “I had a crazy desire to learn [to surf] and when I started, I couldn’t stop,” Christiane Melin said. “It’s an addiction, but an addiction that’s really good.” The event, organized by a local surf school specializing in teaching older adults, emphasized community and well-being. “This is a great example to show the world the importance that, after the [COVID-19] pandemic and beyond politics, we can all be together on the same wave,” organizer Cisco Arana said. With 98 surfers riding a wave together, the group fell short of the 110 achieved in South Africa in 2009.
Photo: Reuters
SOCCER
Israel tells fans to skip match
Israel has urged fans to avoid Thursday’s France-Israel tie, which authorities fear could become a flash point following violence in Amsterdam surrounding a match involving an Israeli team. Despite a large police presence and the expected attendance of French President Emmanuel Macron, Israeli officials on Sunday warned fans to stay away because of fears they could be targeted after clashes at a match in Amsterdam left about two dozen people injured and were condemned as anti-Semitic by Israeli, US, Dutch and European leaders. A right-wing Jewish group has nevertheless announced a rally ahead of this week’s UEFA Nations League tie. Describing the France-Israel fixture as high risk, Paris Police Chief Laurent Nunez said 4,000 gendarmes would be deployed around Stade de France.
SHOOTING
Kim Ye-ji to take a break
Olympic shooting star Kim Ye-ji is temporarily putting down her gun to spend time with family, her agency said on Sunday, saying she was exhausted from competition and the huge public attention her nonchalant cool has generated. The 32-year-old shooter rose to stardom during the Paris Olympics — where she won a silver in the women’s 10m air pistol — after a video of her calmly taking a shot and unloading her gun went viral. The clip, which was actually taken from a competition in May 2024, triggered an Internet frenzy, with people praising her “main character” energy. Kim would “temporarily suspend her sports career ... to have some time together with her young daughter,” her agent Yang Yong-sik said. She would also not renew her contract with her team, which expires in December, he added.
Taiwan last night defeated Cuba 2-0 in their World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier12 Group B game at the Taipei Dome and finished the group second. At the Taipei Tianmu Baseball Stadium, South Korea yesterday defeated Australia 5-2, while Japan last night won 11-3 against the Dominican Republic. On Sunday, Taiwan scored two three-run homers in an 11-3 blowout win over Australia at the Taipei Dome to advance to the Super Round. Fresh off a defeat at the hands of defending Premier12 champions and Group B winners Japan the previous day, Taiwan’s offense came out slugging against Australia from the
OFFENSE SHINES: First baseman Pan Chie-kai hit a solo homer in the fifth inning as all 10 batters Taiwan used contributed at least one hit toward their team total of 14 One day after their first shutout loss at the WBSC Premier12, Taiwan yesterday bounced back with a commanding 8-2 victory over the US, keeping their hopes for a spot in tomorrow’s final alive. The win in the Super Round marked Taiwan’s first triumph over the US at a top-tier international baseball tournament since 2003. Their previous win over the US was at the 2003 Baseball World Cup, with only one win in the previous 10 matchups since 1999. Yesterday’s game was tightly contested through the first six innings, with the margin never exceeding two runs. However, the tide turned in the top of
Taiwan scored two three-run homers in an 11-3 blowout win over Australia at the Taipei Dome last night to advance to the Super Round of the 2024 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier12 tournament. Fresh off a defeat at the hands of defending Premier12 champion and Group B winner Japan the previous day, Taiwan’s offense came out slugging against Australia from the off. After taking a walk to first base, Taiwan’s Chen Chieh- hsien (陳傑憲) then stole second before Tseng Song-en (曾頌恩) drew a walk to first in the top of the first inning. Chen then
TWO-NIL LOSS: Taiwan’s best chance to score came at the top of the fifth with the bases loaded and one out, but Venezuela’s Liarvis Breto got out of the jam Taiwan yesterday suffered a shutout 2-0 loss to Venezuela in the opening game of the WBSC Premier12 Super Round at the Tokyo Dome. Taiwan had seven hits, one more than Venezuela’s six, but catcher Carlos Perez’s two-run homer to left field in the bottom of the fourth inning delivered the only runs scored by both teams and secured victory for Venezuela. Taiwan’s best chance came at the top of the fifth inning with the bases loaded and only one out. However, Venezuela reliever Liarvis Breto struck out Chen Chen-wei before reliever Pedro Garcia finished the inning by allowing an infield flyball by Lin
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