SPORTS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2013 East Asia Games: China dominates martial arts BEIJING: China powered ahead in the medals table at gloved fighters confront each other in physical combat. fights but are assessed on their techniques. By late afternoon yesterday, China had a total of 55 the East Asian Games yesterday, dominating the mar- Among the victorious Chinese fighters were Xiao Liang Yongda took the gold for men’s “nanquan” gold medals overall, ahead of South Korea on 16 and tial arts events as they reached their climax. Chun, who won the 52 kilogram event, and Li Kang, and “nangun”, where fighters are assessed on their Japan on 12. This year’s competition features more With 12 martial arts golds up for grabs yesterday, by who claimed gold in the 56 kilogram category. techniques in a type of boxing which translates into than 2,400 athletes from China, Japan, South Korea, late afternoon China had taken six of them, compared South Korea’s Ham Gwansik took gold in the 65 kilo- English as “Southern Fist”, and also their combat tech- North Korea, Mongolia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau and with three for Hong Kong and one for South Korea. gram event, while Hong Kong’s Li Sone-wai won the 60 niques using a stick-like weapon. Guam, competing in 24 different sports in the northern The host nation had already won six of the eight kilogram contest. Chinese women’s pair Zhao Longlong and Xin He Chinese port city of Tianjin. It is the last time the East martial arts golds awarded in the first two days of com- Chinese women fighters Feng Yufang (48 kilogram) also claimed gold in their non-combative event. Hong Asian Games will be held in their current form, the state petition at the 10-day regional contest. and Qiu Tiao (52 kilograms) also took gold in their cate- Kong took a pair of “taolu” gold, one in a men’s event news agency Xinhua reported, with the event due to Yesterday’s haul included four of the six gold medals gories. China also took two of the four gold medals in and the other in a women’s event assessing techniques be transformed into a youth games for athletes aged to be contested in the “sanshou” events-in which the “taolu” events, in which athletes do not engage in in stick and sword weapon use. 14 to 18. — AFP Boos, snooze but Vettel poised for F1 greatness SUZUKA: Sebastian Vettel has endured boos and his domi- nance has been called boring but he stands on the verge of true Formula One greatness by sealing his fourth straight world title this week in Japan. One more crooked-finger victory salute from Vettel, cou- pled with an off-day by nearest rival Fernando Alonso, and the Red Bull man joins Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher as only the third four-in-a-row champion. The amiable German, still only 26, would also tie Alain Prost’s career haul of four titles, and lie one off Fangio’s total of five compiled in the 1950s. And yet another world championship next year in his rampaging Red Bull would see Vettel match Schumacher’s five in a row won with Ferrari from 2000 to 2004. After unsavoury booing greeted Vettel’s irresistible form, including victories in the last four grands prix, debate has raged over whether fans should salute his mastery or yearn for more competitive days. Vettel’s victory from pole position in South Korea last CHITTAGONG: Bangladeshi cricketer Robiul Islam (right) appeals for a leg before wicket decision Sunday opened a 77-point lead, and with only 125 points YOKOHAMA: Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany waves to against New Zealand cricketer Peter Fulton (left) during the first day of the first cricket Test match available from the remaining five races he is home and dry if his fans during a talk show at Nissan Motors headquarters in between Bangladesh and New Zealand. — AFP Alonso cannot reach the top eight on Sunday. Yokohama. — AFP The Spaniard has all but thrown in the towel, even if he does manage to postpone Vettel’s celebrations until India or Bangladesh strike after Abu Dhabi, the next two races after Japan. Lynx shatter Dream “The championship is a low priority at the moment,” said Alonso, champion with Renault in 2005 and 2006. “Second in MINNEAPOLIS: The Minnesota “As long as it’s in the state of Williamson’s century the constructors’ championship is more realistic.” Lynx offense is humming at a Georgia, I’m good with that,” Atlanta And Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali has already record clip and their defense has coach Fred Williams said. The Lynx CHITTAGONG: Kane Williamson hit a fluent century for McCullum just before the close. Nasir, delighted at claim- congratulated Red Bull on their expected victory. “We know caused the Atlanta Dream’s biggest controlled Game 1 from the open- New Zealand before Bangladesh hit back in the final ses- ing the wicket of a well-settled Fulton, said Bangladesh it is almost impossible to win the title, so congratulations to star to come unglued. ing tip, leading by as many as 31 sion of the opening day’s play in the first Test in were on top after the late strikes. him (Vettel) and to what they are doing because at the end A second WNBA title in three points en route to an 84-59 victory Chittagong yesterday. Williamson made 114 to enable “This was a good comeback by us,” he said. “I would of the day if they have (the title) they deserve that,” he said. seasons is right there in front of and came into Game 2 overflowing the Black Caps to reach 280-5 after they won the toss say the game is still in our hands. We are now in a very Lewis Hamilton voiced concern that Vettel’s vice-like grip them. Now that the series is head- with confidence. and elected to bat on a newly-laid pitch at the Zahur good position. “But we will need to take their remaining over Formula One was sending fans to sleep, comparing it to ing to the South, they don’t plan on A message on the video board coming back home for another just before the opening tip read: Ahmed Chowdhury stadium. five wickets as quickly as possible. The pitch will start to the era of seven-time world champion Schumacher. game. They plan on coming back “Game 1 we made a statement. New Zealand were coasting at 244-2 when left-arm wear as the game goes on. Batting will be really difficult But the Briton quickly took to Twitter to clarify his com- spinner Abdur Razzak, recalled to the Test side after two in the second innings.” New Zealand awarded Test caps home for another party. Game 2 we will make history. We’re ments and praise the “true champion” who was doing a “per- years, grabbed two of the three wickets that fell after tea. to leg-spinner Ish Sodhi and all-rounder Corey Seimone Augustus scored 20 leaving Minnesota after tonight, Williamson was leg-before to Shakib Al Hasan in the Anderson, while batsman Ayub made his debut for the fect job”. points and Lindsay Whalen had 14 but we’ll be bringing something penultimate over, before Razzak dismissed skipper hosts. The second Test will be played in Dhaka from “I admire his dedication and ability to consistently per- points and five assists to push the back with us.” A photo of the cham- Brendon McCullum (21) off what turned out to be the October 21 to 25, followed by three one-day internation- form without mistakes,” said Hamilton, world champion with Lynx to the brink of the champi- pionship trophy followed, eliciting a final delivery of the day. The flurry of late wickets undid als and a Twenty20 game. — AFP McLaren in 2008. “This is the mark of a true champion.” onship with an 88-63 victory over roar from the amped-up home the good work of the top order where opener Peter Vettel has racked up eight victories out of 14 this year and the Atlanta Dream in Game 2 of the crowd, and the Lynx followed with Fulton made a patient 73 to lay the foundation of a big is on course to beat his previous season best of 11 in 2011, WNBA Finals on Tuesday night. a ferocious start to seize control. total. Fulton put on 57 for the first wicket with Hamish SCOREBOARD when he also clinched the title at Suzuka, his favourite track. “It’s right there,” said Augustus, Williams had to shuffle his start- Rutherford (34) and 126 for the second with Williamson “Even though it looks very good, it’s still not over so we who made 9 of 12 shots. “We’ve got ing lineup after sparkplug Tiffany on a slow wicket that hampered stroke-making. shouldn’t feel too comfortable,” said Vettel. “There’s still a 40 more minutes, 80 more posses- Hayes injured her back and tail- CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh: Scoreboard at sions to get to where we want to be bone on a nasty spill in Game 1. The Fulton, who needed 156 balls to reach his 50, cele- stumps on the opening day of the first Test chance for Fernando, so we have to stay on top of our game,” brated his third half-century in Test cricket by pulling and get to what we feel like we Dream went big with 6-foot-4 between Bangladesh and New Zealand at the he added.