Kickboxing, arm wrestling and fencing take center stage on day 8 of World Combat Games

Medals were awarded in kickboxing, armwrestling and fencing on day eight of the Riyadh World Combat Games on Friday. (Supplied)
Short Url
Updated 27 October 2023
Follow

Kickboxing, arm wrestling and fencing take center stage on day 8 of World Combat Games

  • A total of 30 gold medals were won across the event on Friday, with Saudi Arabia's total medal tally reaching 41 after the day’s action

RIYADH: Medals were awarded in kickboxing, arm wrestling and fencing on day eight of the Riyadh World Combat Games on Friday.

A total of 30 gold medals were won across the event on Friday, with Saudi Arabia's total medal tally reaching 41 after the day’s action.

Ukraine are first in the standings, leading the total gold medal count with 18, while Kazakhstan follows in second with 10. Hosts Saudi Arabia are third with a total of nine gold medals.

Women’s Low Kick kickboxing

In the women's Low Kick kickboxing discipline, Brazil's Maria Eduarda Costa Alves secured the gold in the -48 kg division, Julina Nilusmas of France took the top spot in the -56 kg category, and Serbia's Valentina Keri emerged with first in the -65 kg weight class.

Women’s Point Fighting kickboxing

Gold in women’s Point Fighting was secured by Italy’s Carol Scacchi in the -55 kg division, Andrea Busa of Hungary in the -65 kg category and Jodie Browne of Ireland in the -70 kg event.

Men’s Low Kick kickboxing

In the men’s Low Kick championships, first was awarded to Amin Guliyev of Azerbaijan in the -60 kg division, Abror Khakimov of Kyrgyzstan in the -71 kg category and Brazil’s Lucas Rafael Ferraz Dos Santos in the -81 kg segment.  

Men’s Point Fighting kickboxing

In the Men's Point Fighting competition, champions included Hungary's Bence Laszlo Zajacz in the -69 kg category alongside his compatriot Imre Lajos Fesu in the -79 kg bracket and Christopher John Aston from Great Britain in the -94 kg division.

Women’s Left Arm arm wrestling

In the women's Left Arm division, Esra Kirav from Turkey secured victory for the -55 kg division, Aigerim Karamanova from Kazakhstan claimed the -65 kg title, Sweden's Mona Ann-Sofi Reisek emerged as the champion in the -80 kg category, and Barbora Bajciova from Slovakia took the +80 kg division win.

Ukraine excelled in both Para events, with Alona Hornich taking first place in the Women's Left Arm Para Standing event and Olesia Bessalnova securing the gold in the Women's Left Arm Para Visual category.

Men’s Left Arm arm wrestling

In the men’s Left Arm division, Kazakhstan’s Yerdaulet Sarybay secured the -70 kg win with a victory by extra round, while compatriot Nurdaulet Aidarkhan took the -80 kg top spot. In the -90 kg division, Marius-aurel Jurovschi of Romania claimed victory, while Kazakhstan secured another two wins in the -100 kg and +100 kg categories, with golds awarded to Talgat Aktayev and Medet Kuttymuratovm, respectively.

The champion of the Men’s Left-Arm Para Standing division was Daniel Simon of Hungary, while the gold in the men’s Left-Arm Para Sitting category was awarded to Gokhan Seven of Turkey.

Women’s Fencing

The women's Foil team witnessed the UAE securing first place with a 45-13 win over Saudi Arabia. The Saudi team later rebounded to secure the bronze medal.

In the women's Sabre team event, Saudi Arabia emerged victorious, clinching the top spot by defeating the UAE 45-25.

Men’s Fencing

In the men's Sabre team event, Saudi Arabia was awarded the gold with a 45-33 win over Iraq. Additionally, Saudi Arabia captured the bronze by defeating the UAE 45-21.

For the men's Foil team category, Qatar emerged with the victory, beating Kuwait with a score of 45-40.


Kosovo players walk off in Romania game after ‘Serbia’ chants

Updated 59 min 31 sec ago
Follow

Kosovo players walk off in Romania game after ‘Serbia’ chants

Bucharest: A Nations League game between Romania and Kosovo in Bucharest was suspended on Friday in injury time after fans in the crowd shouted “Serbia!.”
The Kosovo players left the pitch after the chants, leading to the game to be paused with the score 0-0.
Animosity between Kosovo and Serbia has persisted since the war between Serbian forces and ethnic Albanian insurgents in the late 1990s.
Kosovo and Serbia do not play each other in UEFA and FIFA tournaments.
Football’s world governing body opened disciplinary proceedings against Serbia during the 2022 World Cup after the team hung a flag in their changing room depicting Kosovo as part of Serbia.
Kosovo joined FIFA and European confederation UEFA in 2016.
When Romania played in Pristina, they beat Kosovo 3-0.


Ronaldo shines as Portugal rout Poland to reach Nations League last-eight

Updated 16 November 2024
Follow

Ronaldo shines as Portugal rout Poland to reach Nations League last-eight

PORTO, Portugal: Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal staged a second-half supershow to crush Poland 5-1 and reach the Nations League quarter-finals on Friday.
Portugal join France, Germany, Italy and Spain in the last-eight while Poland’s hopes of going through from Group A1 were ended.
Having struggled to plant a shot on target in the first half, Portugal stepped on the accelerator after the break.
Rafael Leao broke the deadlock in Porto just before the hour mark after starting and finishing the move.
The AC Milan striker raced away and passed to Nuno Mendes whose cross from the left was headed powerfully past Marcin Bulka in the Portugal goal.
Thirteen minutes later, skipper Ronaldo got his name on the scoresheet, converting a penalty after Jakub Kiwior was penalized for a handball in the area.
Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes made it 3-0 in the 80th minute, scoring after a clever run by Vitinha.
Pedro Neto added the fourth three minutes later after Ronaldo’s fine pass which left the Polish defense stranded.
As Polish spirits sank, Ronaldo added his second and Portugal’s fifth in the 87th minute with a spectacular overhead kick before Dominik Marczuk tucked away a consolation goal for the visitors.
Poland had enjoyed the better chances before falling behind but their potency in front of goal was blunted by the absence of record goal-scorer Robert Lewandowski who was sidelined with a back injury.
Moments before Leao’s goal, Portuguese keeper Diogo Costa pulled off a fine save to deny Marczuk having also been alert to deny Nicola Zalewski in the first half.
Portugal’s best chance in the first 45 minutes had fallen to Ronaldo who fired a close-range effort over the bar from close range.


Japanese soccer player Kazuyoshi Miura says he will play next season at age 58

Updated 16 November 2024
Follow

Japanese soccer player Kazuyoshi Miura says he will play next season at age 58

  • Miura will turn 58 in February
  • He intends to play next season for his fourth-tier Japanese club, Suzuka

TOKYO: Japanese soccer player Kazuyoshi Miura is several generations older than his teammates. His contemporaries retired decades ago. Lionel Messi is 37, and Cristiano Ronaldo is 39 — mere youngsters compared to Miura.
Miura will turn 58 in February, and the Japanese news agency Kyodo reported this week that he intends to play next season for his fourth-tier Japanese club, Suzuka. It will be his 40th season playing in professional soccer.
Miura is widely listed as the oldest active professional soccer player.
Miura scored 55 goals in 89 appearances and was a star with Japan’s national team in the 1990s.
He has played professionally in Brazil, Italy, Croatia, Australia and Portugal. He made his debut in 1986 with Brazilian club Santos, a side made famous by Brazilian star Pelé.


Japan beat Indonesia 4-0 to extend group lead in Asian World Cup qualifying

Updated 16 November 2024
Follow

Japan beat Indonesia 4-0 to extend group lead in Asian World Cup qualifying

  • Japan tops the group on 13 points with five games remaining in the round.
  • Australia, Saudi Arabia and China all have 6 points, followed by Bahrain with five and Indonesia with 3

JAKARTA: Japan defeated Indonesia 4-0 on Friday to move seven points clear at the top of Group C in the third round of Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
Two goals in each half mean the Samurai Blue stays on course for an eighth successive World Cup appearance.
After a bright start from the home team, the 78,000 fans at a sold-out Gelora Bung Karno Stadium were silenced after 35 minutes as Daichi Kamada broke down the left and sent a cross which defender Justin Hubner put into his own net from close range.
Takumi Minamino then scored from inside the area off Kaoru Mitoma’s pass to extend the lead five minutes before the break.
Hidemasa Motira took advantage of an errant pass from Indonesia’s goalkeeper to make it 3-0 early in the second half and Yukinari Sugawara rounded out the scoring in the 69th minute.
Japan tops the group on 13 points with five games remaining in the round. Australia, Saudi Arabia and China all have six points, followed by Bahrain with five and Indonesia with three.
The top two from each of the three groups will be guaranteed a place at the World Cup, with the third- and fourth-place teams progressing to the next stage.
 


Pogba and Juventus end contract mutually before he returns from doping ban

Updated 15 November 2024
Follow

Pogba and Juventus end contract mutually before he returns from doping ban

  • The Serie A club never seemed overly enthusiastic about welcoming Pogba back
  • “Juventus Football Club and Paul Pogba announce that they have reached a mutual agreement for the termination of their contract as of Nov. 30, 2024,” the Bianconeri said

TURIN, Italy: Paul Pogba will no longer be a Juventus player from next month.
Juventus announced on Friday they came to “a mutual agreement” with Pogba to cancel his contract despite the France World Cup winner having a ban for doping slashed last month.
The Serie A club never seemed overly enthusiastic about welcoming Pogba back after his four-year ban for doping was reduced to 18 months following an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The 31-year-old Pogba, who will be free to resume his career in March 2025, had said he was ready to give up money to play for Juventus again.
“Juventus Football Club and Paul Pogba announce that they have reached a mutual agreement for the termination of their contract as of Nov. 30, 2024,” the Bianconeri said in a brief statement. “The club wish Paul the very best for his professional future.”
Pogba tested positive for testosterone in August last year and the Juventus midfielder was handed the maximum punishment by Italy’s anti-doping court.
But CAS judges cut Pogba’s ban as they acknowledged a lack of intent and said his positive test was the result of erroneously taking a supplement prescribed to him by a medical doctor in Florida.
Pogba’s contract with Juventus was set to expire in June 2026.
“My time at Juventus has come to an end. It has been a privilege to pull on the shirt of the Bianconeri and to share so many special memories together,” Pogba said in a statement.
“I cherish the memories we made. They live on. Even in the most difficult moments over the past year, your support was crucial and I want to thank Juve fans around the world for their compassion.”
Pogba was the most expensive soccer player in history when he joined Manchester United from Juventus for a fee of 105 million euros ($113 million) in 2016.
He starred in France’s World Cup triumph in 2018 and returned to Juventus as a free agent in 2022. But injuries limited him to just eight Serie A appearances in his second spell at the club before his ban last year.
“I am looking forward to the next chapter of my career and to stepping out on the pitch with my next club,” Pogba added.