Sport

China sweeps through the gold medals on the opening day of the Asian Games

Published

1 year ago

September 25, 2023

China has dominated the Asian Games for the last 40 years, and the 2023 edition will be the same.

The host country won 20 gold medals — 30 overall — on Sunday, just hours after Saturday’s opening ceremony overseen by President Xi Jinping and watched by 80,000 at Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium.

The first gold medal of the games went to the Chinese pair of Zhou Jiaqi and Qiu Xinping in women’s lightweight double sculls. The Chinese rolled from there and many are already looking ahead to next year’s Olympics in Paris, Associated Press reported.

“Stepping on to the podium today is a new starting point,” Qiu said. “To prepare for next year’s Paris Olympics with all our strength is equivalent to starting from scratch.”

Added teammate Zhou: “This can help us build self-confidence and help us prepare.”

Two other gold medals on the first day went to Hong Kong, in men’s pairs in rowing, and in men’s individual foil in fencing.

Hong Kong, a former British colony, was returned to Chinese rule in 1997 and has come under increasingly tight control from Beijing following months of pro-democracy protests in 2019.

China won gold in modern pentathlon (2), artistic gymnastics (1), rowing (6), shooting (2), wushu (2) and swimming (7).

Zhang Yufei won the women’s 200 butterfly, the same event she won two months ago at the world championships in Fukuoka, Japan.

“I actually felt the pool was a little slow for me,” she said. “And I told my coach that I wasn’t feeling in good form or I could have gone faster.”

Wang Shun took the men’s 200 IM, and Li Bingjie won the women’s 1,500.

South Korea won five gold medals on the first day and 14 overall to trail China in second place. South Korea won two gold medals in modern pentathlon, two more in taekwondo, and one in fencing.

Japan had two gold and 14 overall, just behind South Korea.

The only other gold medals on the first day went to Taiwan and Uzbekistan.

China won almost 300 medals — 132 gold — five years ago in the Asian Games in Indonesia with Japan and South Korea the main challengers.

Host nations traditionally get a homefield “medal bump,” so China’s dominance this time could be more overwhelming than usual.

The Asian Games feature 12,500 participants from 45 nations and territories. Next year’s Olympics will involve about 10,500 from about 200 delegations.

Cricket is prominent in the Asian Games, and India and Sri Lanka will face off on Monday for the gold in the women’s game. The earlier bronze medal game matches Bangladesh against Pakistan.

The men’s final is Oct. 7, and many expect a final between old rivals Pakistan and India.

Related Topics:Asian Games China featured gold medals

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Ariana News to broadcast IPL auction live and exclusively in Afghanistan

Published

8 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Ariana News

The highly anticipated TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) Player Auction will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Sunday November 24 and Monday November 25 - an event that will be broadcast to Afghanistan’s cricket fans live and exclusively by Ariana Television and Radio Network (ATN).

The two-day event will be broadcast live and exclusively on Ariana News.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, this year. It will be the second time that the IPL mega auction is held outside India after last year's event in Dubai.

This year's mega auction will have 1,574 players registered, of which 574 names will go under the hammer.

Of those 574, a total of 366 players will be Indian and 208 will be foreign cricketers.

A number of big names will be in fray, with as many as 81 players choosing to register themselves under the highest base price bracket of Rs 2 crore ($237,000).

Afghan players

Eighteen Afghan players have been shortlisted for the IPL mega auction.

Two hundred and four (204) slots will be up for grabs with 70 available slots for overseas players.

Full list of Afghan players shortlisted for the auction:

Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Noor Ahmad
Waqar Salamkheil
Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar
Mujeeb-ur-Rahman
Azmatullah Omarzai
Naveen-ul-haq
Zahir Khan Pakten
Sediqullah Atal
Mohammad Nabi
Gulbadin Naib
Fazalhaq Farooqi
Najibullah Zadran
Ibrahim Zadran
Qais Ahmad
Karim Janat
Faridoon Dawoodzai
Nangyal Kharote

For cricket fans across the country, the IPL mega auction broadcast will be on Sunday and Monday from 1.30pm Kabul time on Ariana News. For more information and updated stories be sure to watch this space and follow us on social media.

Sport

Pakistan trumps Afghanistan by only 13 runs in U19 Tri-Series One Day match

Chasing 245 to win, Afghanistan lost their opening batter Mahboob Khan in the first over but recovered as Uzairullah Niazai and Faisal Shinozada secured a 104-run partnership for the second wicket

Published

1 day ago

November 20, 2024

Ariana News

Afghanistan’s U-19 cricket team went down to Pakistan by only 13 runs on Wednesday in their third tri-nation series One Day match at the ICC Academy in Dubai.

This was Pakistan’s first win over Afghanistan in the ongoing tournament after the Afghans defeated their opponents by 100 runs at the same venue on Friday.

Chasing 245 to win, Afghanistan lost their opening batter Mahboob Khan in the first over but recovered as Uzairullah Niazai and Faisal Shinozada secured a 104-run partnership for the second wicket.

After Faisal’s departure, Uzairullah soon followed with Afghanistan at 142 for three in 26.5 overs.

Afghanistan were bundled out for 231 in 46.4 overs.

Earlier, after opting to bat first, Pakistan’s opening pair Shahzaib Khan and Usman Khan provided a solid 129-run stand to Pakistan.

Left-handed Usman, who scored a century against Afghanistan in the previous match, scored an 88-ball 77, which included eight fours.

Shahzaib meanwhile top-scored for the side with 78 off 101 balls, hitting seven boundaries.

For Afghanistan, Abdul Aziz Khan and Khatir Khan Stanikzai bagged three wickets apiece, while Naseer Khan Maroofkhil snapped two wickets.

Pakistan will take on the hosts UAE U19 in their last group match on Friday, 22 November.

In a post on X, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said late Wednesday: “Not the result we would have wanted but Afghanistan Future Stars will look to bounce back in the next match.”

Afghanistan will take on UAE U19 on Sunday, November 24.

Sport

Afghanistan beat UAE by 169 runs in U19 tri-series

Published

3 days ago

November 18, 2024

Ariana News

Afghanistan under-19 cricket team defeated the United Arab Emirates under-19 team by 169 runs in their second match of the tri-nation series in Dubai on Monday.

Batting first after winning the toss, Afghans posted 359-5 as they played all the mandated 50 overs in the ICC Academy in Dubai.

Faisal Khan scored 156 runs while captain Mehboob Khan made 141.

In reply, UAE made 190 before they were all out in the 45.4 overs.

It is Afghanistan U19's second consecutive win in the two matches they have played so far in the tri-series.

Afghanistan U19 defeated Pakistan by 100 runs in their first match.

Afghanistan U19 will meet Pakistan U19 again on Wednesday.