Sport
Chinese teen duo gun down first gold in Paris
Three years after China’s Yang Qian and Yang Haoran won the gold in Tokyo, reigning world champions Huang and Sheng topped the qualifying round ahead of their Korean rivals to signal their intent.
Social media-savvy teenaged duo Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao upheld a Chinese shooting tradition as they won the first gold of the Paris Olympics in the 10 metres air rifle mixed team event on Saturday, Reuters reported.
Chinese shooters have claimed their country’s first gold of the Games more times than athletes in any other sport and that trend continued with Huang and Sheng triumphing at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre.
Their 16-12 win, quelling a late challenge from the South Korean pair of Keum Ji-hyeon and Park Ha-jun, ensured China remain the only country to win the gold in the mixed team event introduced in Tokyo three years ago.
“When the Koreans were catching up, I was not paying too much attention to it because I was first trying to stabilise myself,” Sheng, 19, told reporters.
“I told myself I need to do what I must do.”
Alexandra Le and Islam Satpayev gave Kazakhstan the bronze with a 17-5 romp against the German pair of Anna Janssen and Maximilian Ulbrich, read the report.
Three years after China’s Yang Qian and Yang Haoran won the gold in Tokyo, reigning world champions Huang and Sheng topped the qualifying round ahead of their Korean rivals to signal their intent.
The gold medal contest was not really a cakewalk though despite them racing to a 14-8 lead after the 11th round.
Keum and Park staged a late comeback to reduce the gap at 14-12 but the Chinese pair prevailed in the end.
JITTERY HUANG
Huang said she was jittery when the Koreans started breathing down their neck.
“I was quite tense to be honest,” said the 17-year-old, whose puppy hair-clips are quite popular among her social media fans back home.
“Deep inside, I was telling myself to focus on my movement and the competition, and get some positive energy.”
Huang and Sheng will be gunning for a second gold in Paris but said the team event result would have no bearing on their individual rifle competitions.
Korea’s Park was not too unhappy with the silver.
“We could not overcome the Chinese shooters, but we are very satisfied with our medals,” said the bespectacled 24-year-old.
Teammate Keum also had no issues finishing behind their Chinese opponents.
“I respect the Chinese athletes and I think they did a great job of winning the gold.
“I personally think we also did great to get this silver.”
Will I be able to watch the Games in Afghanistan?
Yes! Ariana Television Network secured the rights to broadcast the Games legally in Afghanistan. Events will be broadcast live on Ariana Television across the country.
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Afghanistan are set to face India in the Asian Games cricket quarter-finals after Saturday’s rain-hit match between Nepal and Japan confirmed the Pool A standings.
The quarter-final between India and Afghanistan is scheduled to take place on September 28 in Nisshin, Japan.
Nepal secured first place in the group after Japan’s chase was washed out. Nepal had scored 149 runs for four wickets in 15 overs after being sent in to bat, but persistent rain prevented Japan from starting its innings.
The result saw Nepal advance as Pool A winners, with Afghanistan joining them in the quarter-finals as the other qualifying team. Nepal will face Sri Lanka in the quarter-finals.
Japan have been eliminated from the tournament.
Sorkh Poshan Khafi secured a convincing 6-0 victory over Esteqlal Kabul today (Friday) in the 23rd match of the sixth season of the Afghanistan Champions League at the Football Federation Stadium in Kabul.
Reza Gholami opened the scoring for Sorkh Poshan Khafi in the fourth minute with a header before Sohrab Afghan doubled the lead in the 21st minute.
Afghan struck again four minutes into the second half to make it 3-0, while Yar Mohammad added the fourth goal in the 52nd minute.
Sorkh Poshan Khafi completed the rout with two further goals in the 68th and 70th minutes, securing a 6-0 win.
The sixth season of the Roshan Afghanistan Champions League is being broadcast live on Ariana Television.
Sport
Afghanistan Champions League: Arman FC and Aino Mina play out goalless draw
Arman FC will return to action on September 28, when they face Sarsabz Yashlar. Aino Mina Kandahar will play their next match on September 29 against Toofan Herat.
Arman FC and Aino Mina Kandahar played out a goalless draw on Friday in the 22nd match of the sixth season of Afghanistan Champions League Roshan at the Afghanistan Football Federation Stadium in Kabul.
Both sides started the match with an attacking approach, creating several opportunities and making efforts to break the deadlock. However, neither team was able to convert their chances as the first half ended without a goal.
The attacking contest continued after the restart, with both Arman FC and Aino Mina looking for an opening goal. Arman FC continued to push forward in search of a breakthrough, while Aino Mina also created opportunities of their own.
Despite the efforts from both sides and several attempts to find the decisive goal, neither team managed to unlock the opposition defense. The match ultimately ended 0–0, with both teams taking a point from the encounter.
The match also saw Aino Mina commit 15 fouls and receive one yellow card. Arman FC committed eight fouls and finished the game without receiving either a yellow or a red card.
Arman FC will return to action on September 28, when they face Sarsabz Yashlar. Aino Mina Kandahar will play their next match on September 29 against Toofan Herat.
Matches in the sixth season of the Roshan Afghanistan Champions League are broadcast live on Ariana Television.
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