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KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian athlete lits the torch during the opening ceremony of the 29th Southeast (SEA Games) in yesterday. — AFP Let the flames begin! Flying diver ignites Games

KUALA LUMPUR: Teenage diver Nur Torrential rain early on failed to damp- with world championships commitments, edition the tagline “Rising Together”, are Dhabitah Sabri flew through ’s en enthusiasm as the hosts put on an and cheered the succession of marching aiming to top the medals table for only the China snubs ‘Little national stadium in a brave stunt to light entertaining spectacle before Malaysia’s bands. After the Games had been declared second time by matching the 111 golds the cauldron at the climax of a glittering king, Sultan Muhammad V, declared the open, the stadium erupted in song as hun- they won on home soil in 2001. Olympics’ opening opening ceremony Games open. dreds of dancers waving silver palm trees Ahead of the opening ceremony, they yesterday. About 4,200 athletes are competing for and waving red-lit parasols gave the event a have already made a strong start with seven ceremony in Taiwan The 18-year-old rising star was suspend- 404 gold medals in sports ranging from carnival atmosphere. golds to lead the table ahead of ed high above the Bukit Jalil stadium floor boxing and equestrianism to petanque, Olympic silver medal-winning diver and , who both have three. The TAIPEI: China boycotted the opening ceremony of the in Kuala Lumpur, carrying a flaming torch, at speed skating and lawn bowls at the popu- passed the flaming torch Games retain a distinctly regional flavour, World University Games hosted by Taiwan yesterday in the end of the four-hour extravaganza. lar and unique SEA Games. to Nur Dhabita, who took off slowly towards with Olympic sports like swimming and ath- the latest reflection of deteriorating relations between Earlier a flying tiger, shiny gold suits and Games mascot Rimau, a fluffy Malayan the 40-foot (12-metre) cauldron and lit it, letics contested alongside Asian favourites the two sides. The biennial Summer , a parade of marching bands took centre tiger, flew into the stadium on a wire, after setting off a blaze of fireworks. such as pencak , and dubbed the “Little Olympics,” is the largest ever sporting stage as the two-week Games opened in a LED-lit pedal cars and flag-wavers wearing The biennial SEA Games, formerly the . They are a big source of national event Taipei hosts but it has also highlighted tensions blaze of colour. More than 4,000 athletes glittering gold suits had entertained the Southeast Asian Peninsula Games, have pride in the fast-growing region of about with Beijing and the island’s struggle for international from 11 nations strode into the newly refur- crowd. Fans watched video messages from been running since 1959, when the region 650 million people, which all too often finds recognition. bished, 87,000-capacity Bukit Jalil stadium, Malaysia’s badminton and squash stars Lee was still emerging from its long era of colo- itself outclassed on the world sporting It is the first time Taiwan has held the Games, but which was sold out for the vibrant show. Chong Wei and Nicol David, who are busy nialism. Malaysia, who have given the 29th stage. —AFP even on home turf it must compete as “Chinese Taipei” and is unable to fly its national flag or play its national anthem because of Beijing’s sensitivities. Lukaku on mark as Man United score four again The two sides split after a civil war in 1949, but Beijing still sees the self-ruled island as part of its terri- ately when Lukaku seized on an errant on 80 minutes when he finished coolly chip on 82 minutes to make it 3-0. tory and objects to any official diplomatic recognition pass and raced towards goal, but his initial after a neat pass from Henrikh Substitute Martial then collected a Pogba of Taiwan. Relations have deteriorated since Tsai Ing- wen of the independence-leaning Democratic Swansea 0 shot was blocked and his follow-up effort Mkhitaryan. pass and weaved his way through a static curled wide. The woodwork then came to That was the signal for Swansea’s home defence on 84 minutes to complete Progressive Party (DPP) took office in May last year, with Swansea’s rescue as the lively opening defence to go missing as Mkhitaryan fed the scoring with a neat finish into the bot- Beijing cutting off all official communications. continued with Juan Mata’s free-kick from Pogba, who beat Fabianksi with a neat tom-right corner. — AFP At the opening event, Tsai was introduced as the Man United 4 the right headed against the crossbar by president of “the Republic of China”, Taiwan’s official Phil Jones. United’s frustration was high- name, which China does not recognise. She waved to lighted on the half-hour when Marcus the audiences but did not give a speech. Thousands of student athletes from around the SWANSEA: Manchester United main- Rashford sent an ambitious long-range world donned their team uniforms or traditional dress tained their dream Premier League start as effort straight at home goalkeeper Lukasz and walked behind the sign showing the name of their goals from Eric Bailly, Romelu Lukaku, Paul Fabianski. country and their national flags to the cheering crowd Pogba and Anthony Martial secured a 4-0 in Taipei Stadium. victory at Swansea City yesterday. MKHITARYAN FINDS GAPS However, no Chinese athletes showed up to walk Pogba was walking a tightrope when, Having put West Ham United to the behind the staffer holding China’s national flag. Local moments after being booked for a cynical sword with another 4-0 win in their open- media said China was absent due to the reference of ing game of the new campaign, United foul on Tom Carroll, he tripped Olsson and Tsai as president. Taipei’s mayor Ko Wen-je is widely looked like being made to settle for a nar- received what appeared to be a final seen to have secured Chinese athletes’ attendance dur- rower scoreline for much of the game in warning from referee Jon Moss. The visi- ing his visit to Shanghai in July to attend a city South Wales. But after they had claimed tors ought to have led nine minutes exchange forum. the lead at the end of a tight first half before the interval when Swansea failed But he said he had drawn the line at Chinese officials’ through Bailly’s first goal for the club, they to clear a simple high ball. Rashford col- request for Tsai only to be called “leader” at the opening netted three times in a stylish five-minute lected it and raced clear, but sent a tame ceremony, not “president”. spell late in the game to give the scoreline effort straight at Fabianksi. United finally In the current climate, some expected Chinese ath- an emphatic look. claimed the lead on the stroke of half-time letes to boycott the Universiade entirely. Instead, they It meant maximum points, eight goals as a corner from the left was headed by will compete in individual events but sit out the team and two clean sheets in their opening two Pogba and forced onto the crossbar by sports, citing a clash with their own national games. games for Jose Mourinho’s side. Swansea Fabianski, with Bailly reacting quickest to Outside the stadium, there were chaotic scenes were aggrieved that Pogba remained on poke home the rebound. when dozens of protesters opposing the government’s the field to score after escaping a second After a low-key opening to the second pension reforms scuffled with pro-DPP groups briefly yellow card for a foul on Martin Olsson half, Rashford cut in from the left and tried blocking an athlete’s entrance and delaying part of the late in the first half. But manager Paul his luck with a right-foot effort but ceremony. Clement saw his side implode worryingly Fabianski gathered the ball after an initial Protest groups also forced some buses taking ath- once Lukaku bagged United’s second goal fumble. Swansea pressed through the letes to the event to detour. The rest of the opening cer- and his third in two games for his new lively Ayew and one run from the emony tonight will showcase Taiwanese culture and club 10 minutes from full-time. Ghanaian allowed Leroy Fer a shooting lifestyle, including indigenous dance and songs as well There was a scare for United in the chance, only for him to lift his effort well as performances using electric scooters. Pop star third minute as Jordan Ayew burst for- over the bar. Leehom Wang is set to perform near the end of the wards for Swansea, cut in from the left Tammy Abraham should then have show before baseball player Chen Chin-feng lights the and mishit a cross that grazed the visitors’ tested United goalkeeper David de Gea, SWANSEA: Manchester United’s Eric Bailly, left, celebrates with teammate Romelu Lukaku Universiade flame to formally open the games, followed crossbar. but he headed wide from a decent cross after scoring his side’s first goal during their English Premier League soccer match at the by a firework show. — AFP Mourinho’s men broke almost immedi- by Olsson. Lukaku doubled United’s lead Liberty Stadium, Swansea, Wales, yesterday. —AP