14 Saturday 27th November, 2010

BY JOHN PYE of Japan, which picked up golds in men’s single and double kayak over 200 meters and , China (AP) - Feng Lanlan’s Shinobu Kitamoto win the women’s single karate title Friday gave China its 184th gold kayak on Friday morning. medal at Guangzhou, ensuring the record Afghanistan and Bangladesh were each for most golds at an and keep- aiming for their first-ever gold medals at the ing the host nation well on course to reach Asian Games later Friday, with the surprise 200. finalists lining up in cricket’s deciding Feng’s win over Emiko Homma of match. Cricket is making its debut on the Japan in the women’s 68-kilogram division helped China surpass the 183 golds it won in 1990 at , the last time it hosted the Olympic-style continental games. “Yesterday I was reading the news and they were talking about China winning the 184th gold medal, but I never expected that it would be me,” Feng said. Feng’s was among the first of 48 gold China raises medals to be awarded Friday, the penulti- mate day of competition. There are only five golds on offer on the last day Saturday. China’s only aim for Guangzhou was to beat the 166 gold medals it won at , Qatar in the 2006 edition. benchmark for But it has dominated even more on home soil. Japan, meanwhile, has lost ground on second-place South Korea. Two upset defeats dented Japan’s repu- tation as the powerhouse in women’s gold at Asian wrestling, with world champions Kyoko Hamaguchi and Mio Nishimaki out of con- tention after being pinned in their second- Asian Games sports programme at round matches Friday. Guangzhou, but the final is missing any of That came on top of a loss the previous the region’s powerhouse teams. day for seven-time world champion Hitomi India didn’t field a team in the women’s Sakamoto. or men’s competitions. Hot men’s favourite “All of us came here for gold medals,” Pakistan was upset in the semi-finals by said Saori Yoshida, who advanced in the 55- Afghanistan. Bangladesh advanced over Sri kilogram class. “Although I can’t predict Lanka. results tonight, I will get the gold medals for Pakistan, which won the women’s them.” Twenty20 cricket final earlier in the pro- The women’s wrestlers are celebrities gramme, beat Sri Lanka for the men’s in Japan, which needed a flurry of gold on bronze medal. the last two days of competition to match The final night of track competition China’s Feng Lanlan, on right, fights with Emiko Homma of Japan during the final match of the women’s 68 kg karate at the 50 golds the country won at Doha. features 10 finals at Aoti main stadium. The the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, Friday, Nov. 26. Feng won the gold medal which gave the hosts its 184th South Korea is in second place behind two marathons are set for Saturday morn- gold medal at Guangzhou, ensuring the record for most number of golds at an Asian Games and keeping the host nation China with 72 gold medals, still 30 in front ing, the final day of the games. well on course to reach 200. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

BY TONY really important here because all England’s bid team will Pakistan beat Sri ROCHE BY ROB HARRIS the clubs own their own stadi- exploit the global power of the (AP) - England coach ums.” Premier League this weekend to Lanka for T-20 MELBOURNE, Fabio Capello will draw on con- Despite being regularly being publicise the bid to the 500 mil- Australia (AP) tacts cultivated during almost 50 criticised by the English media lion homes around the world it bronze - Australian ten- years in football to help the since the team’s poor showing estimates will see its publicity GUANGZHOU, China (AP) - Captain nis No. 1 Lleyton country’s late scramble for votes at the World Cup in June, during matches. Khalid Latif has led Pakistan to a six- Hewitt is to in the contest to host the 2018 Capello has been amazed at “The bid is an amazing wicket victory over an experienced Sri join forces for World Cup. how tolerant the country is. opportunity for this country to Lankan line-up in the Twenty20 cricket the second time England’s bid is on the back “England is a multiethnic demonstrate its passion for the bronze medal playoff at the Asian in his career foot ahead of next Thursday’s country and all the countries that game around the world - not Games. Latif hit an unbeaten 53 off 42 balls with renowned vote by FIFA’s executive com- play here will find people from only by hosting an amazing tour- as Pakistan raced to 141 for four wickets coach Tony their own countries born here, or nament but also through the mittee amid fears that a BBC in 18 overs. Bilawal Bhatti (25 not out) Roche in an investigation into the bidding like Italians in the USA will be at ‘Football United’ development smashed Test fast bowler Nuwan Zoysa effort to lift his process could deter voters after home,” the former Italy midfield- programme that will use the for a six for the winning runs. flagging world it is broadcast on Monday. er said. “It is easier to integrate power of football to create a Sri Lanka, after being put into bat, ranking. Capello will be part of an with other people because you positive impact on the lives of was dismissed for 135 in 19.5 overs. Hewitt (L) and Tony Roche Two-time England delegation in Zurich can find ... a lot of people histor- millions of children around the Latif took the game away from Sri grand slam-win- which also features newly ically come here from other world,” Manchester City’s Ivory Lanka by hitting leg-spinner Malinga ner Hewitt is training after an Bandara for three sixes in the 15th over. engaged Prince William, former countries - from the Coast defender Kolo Toure said. injury layoff and announced Pakistan made amends for four national team Captain David Commonwealth, historic things.” Friday he will re-unite with dropped catches by running out four Roche in 2011. Roche previously Beckham and 1966 World Cup- batsmen. coached Hewitt between July winner Bobby Charlton. Afghanistan, which upset Pakistan in 2007 and August 2009. “I’ve worked in three coun- the semi-finals, took on Bangladesh in Hewitt said he would have tries, Italy, Spain and England ... the final. Roche as his main coach but and I know a lot of people Hewitt to be would work also with Josh because I started to play profes- Eagle, one of the coaches of sionally when I was 18 and now Capello to help Australia’s Davis Cup squad. I am 64,” Capello said. “I look Pakistan coach Currently ranked 55 in sin- forward to meeting them. I will gles, Hewitt said “I’m really tell them this is the country England’s push feels India’s coached again looking forward to working with where football was born - it is both guys and feel that if I can important ... England is the absence keep the body performing then I home of football and for this rea- can climb back up the ranks son you have to sometimes con- for 2018 WC votes GUANGZHOU, China (AP) - Pakistan again.” sider this. coach Sadiq Mohammad says India by Roche should have been pressured into send “It’s the best country to host teams to compete at Guangzhou, where the World Cup - simple.” cricket is making its debut at the Asian England hasn’t hosted the Games. The former international play- World Cup since 1966 and is er said when the other three Sub-conti- CAF confirms competing with Russia and joint nental cricket powers sent teams, bids from Spain-Portugal and “someone should have put pressure on Netherlands-Belgium. India.” Sri Lanka, Pakistan and gender protest Capello, who took charge of Bangladesh all qualified for the Semi- England in 2008, is convinced finals, while Afghanistan was seeded that the standard of the coun- directly into the Quarter-finals due to against E. Guinea try’s stadiums exceeds those absence of India. Afghanistan produced found elsewhere in Europe. the upset of the tournament, beating CAIRO (AP) - African foot- Guinea in the recent African “In Spain, not all the stadiums Pakistan in the semi-finals to reach a ball’s ruling body confirms Women’s Championship in are the properties of the clubs,” final against Bangladesh. Pakistan it has received a protest from South Africa, but did not the former AC Milan, Roma and recovered by beating Sri Lanka by six the Nigerian Football name the player. Real Madrid coach said. wickets in Friday’s bronze medal play- Federation over “the gender Friday’s statement says “Here you can find everything off. status” of a player on “the protest has been regis- ... the infrastructure is at the top. Equatorial Guinea’s tered and submitted to the “Another thing that is really women’s team. competent committee, CAF important is the security of the CAF says in a brief state- Sports Medicine Committee, stadiums. The stewards are ment “the player in ques- for inquiries and follow up.” Fabio Capello S. Korea: tion” played for Equatorial Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon complained that Equatorial Guinea had field- Tensions should ed men on its team in South Africa but only Nigeria not hurt 2018 bid lodged an official protest. Organisers plan warm send-off CAF says it will provide BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) - The head more information when of South Korea’s bid for the 2018 “some other details emerge.” for Asian Games athletes Winter Olympics says tensions in the Korean peninsula should not hurt PTI - After mesmerising the “Combined with Chinese cauldron in the middle of a Pyeongchang’s chances of holding the audience with a unique opening songs, they will become an inte- stage. We will make use of this event. ceremony at the Haixinsha grated performance. We want to cauldron and make the stage a Pyeongchang bid chairman Cho Island, the Asian Games organ- In this photo taken Nov 14, show that it is time for Asia, it special one together with the Yang-ho says “unfortunately we have isers are planning to give the 2010, an Equatorial Guinea is the sky of Asia, those are chandelier and the big screens lived with the tensions for 60 years, participating athletes a fitting women’s footballer plays songs of Asia,” he explained. As shaped like sails,” said chief but it has not hurt our ability to stage send off with a two-hour closing during the final of the CAF in the opening, the closing of script writer of the ceremony big sports events.” ceremony at the same venue on African Woman the Games will also involve the Han Chunqi. “We want people Tensions have soared since the Saturday, today. Championship in Daveyton, water bodies and the ceremony to regard the closing ceremony North’s artillery strike Tuesday There will be an Indian touch would commence with a giant as a warm, romantic and destroyed large parts of an island in South Africa. The Nigerian to the closing with Mumbai- chandelier emerging from the dream-like serenade,” he added. the South, killing two civilians as well Football Federation says it based playback singer Ravi K. deep-water area of the stage as two marines in a major escalation has made an official com- Tripathi performing at the cere- “To make a difference from with a sail-shaped red curtain of sporadic skirmishes along the sea plaint to the African Football mony. Asian pop star and actor the opening ceremony, we want border. Federation that members of Rain (Jung Ji-Hoon) will also on screens behind. to create the biggest opera Pyeongchang is bidding against the Equatorial Guinea render three songs. Eight songs The organisers also plan to house (of a 1,500-strong chorus) Munich and Annecy, France. The three women’s team are men. (AP have been picked for the cere- use the cauldron, which was lit between heaven and earth,” cities will make presentations later Photo) mony, representing the eastern, at the venue at the opening cer- said chief stage designer Miao Friday during an assembly of the western, southern, northern emony, together with the chan- Peiru. “These people will not European Olympic Committees. and central parts of the conti- delier on the stage and the big only sing but also do some dra- The IOC is to vote on the host city nent, said music director Bian screens shaped like sails. matic performances,” he added. next July. Liunian. “Never before have we seen a