Sports — International

‘I did it for me’: Biles takes Olympic bronze after mental health battle

by Nick REEVES TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Simone Biles’ nightmare Olympics concluded with the US gymnastics superstar returning in the beam final on Tuesday, declaring “I did it for me” after taking bronze behind Chinese teenager Guan Chenchen. It was Biles’ first taste of competition in Tokyo since dramatically standing down during the women’s team final last week, struggling with the “twisties”, a condition meaning gymnasts lose the ability to orientate themselves in mid-air. “I […]

EJ Obiena fails to get a medal but makes country proud in Olympic pole vault performance

  (Eagle News) – Filipino pole vaulter EJ Obiena failed to make the 5.80 meters in the pole vault finals Tuesday, Aug. 3, at the Tokyo Olympics but still made the country proud with his performance that saw a Filipino competing for the first time in this event at the Olympics. The 25-year old Obiena cleared the 5.55 meters on his first attempt, and also made the 5.70 meters. But the 5.80 meters proved to […]

US power past Spain to make Olympic basketball semis

SAITAMA, Japan (AFP) — The United States kept their basketball gold medal dreams on track Tuesday by grinding past world champions Spain 95-81 and into the semi-finals, while Slovenia crushed Germany to make the last four on their Olympic debut. Sharp-shooting Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant poured in 29 points and four assists while Boston’s Jayson Tatum chipped in 13 in a battle between the world’s top two teams, nullifying Ricky Rubio’s 38-point spree for […]

Chinese gymnast Zou Jingyuan wins parallel bars gold at Olympics

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — China’s Zou Jingyuan won parallel bars gold at the Olympics on Tuesday to add to his two world titles on the apparatus. The 23-year-old earned a soaring 16.233 points to take the title in Tokyo over half a point clear of Germany’s Lukas Dauser in silver. Turkey’s Ferhat Arican finished with the bronze. © Agence France-Presse

Asian markets mixed as Delta fans recovery concerns

HONG KONG, China (AFP) —  Asian markets were mixed Tuesday and oil extended losses as the impact of the fast-spreading Delta coronavirus variant on the global recovery fuelled concerns the outlook might not be as rosy as initially hoped. While corporate earnings continue to impress, trader optimism has taken a knock after a series of below-forecast readings from the world’s biggest economies including crucial growth drivers the United States and China. At the same time, […]

Race for gold still on as PH boxer Paalam beats Rio Olympics defending champ

  (Eagle News) – Filipino boxer Carlos Paalam won in the men’s flyweight quarterfinals in the Tokyo Olympics on Tuesday, Aug. 3, beating the defending champion, Shakhobidin Zoirov from Uzbekistan. It was a stunning win for Paalam and a big upset for the former flyweight division champion Zoirov who won the gold in the 2016 Rio Olympics. The fight was stopped in the second round following an accidental clash of heads that resulted in cuts […]

Filipina boxer Petecio bags a silver in 2020 Tokyo Olympics; Japan’s Sena wins the gold

    (Eagle News) – Filipina boxer Nesthy Petecio bagged the silver medal in the Tokyo Olympics after the final bout of the women’s featherweight division. She faced Japan’s Sena Irie who won the gold after being declared the winner after three rounds via unanimous decision. Sena beat Petecio for the third time in their four boxing matches since 2019. Petecio’s silver is the second medal that Filipino athletes bagged in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, […]

Australian Hoy, 62, oldest Olympic medallist since 1968

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Australian Andrew Hoy became the oldest medallist at the Olympics since 1968 when he took silver in the equestrian eventing team competition at the Tokyo Games on Monday. It was the 62-year-old’s fifth Olympic medal in total — three of them gold — but his first since Sydney 2000. Hoy was not done there, following up soon after with bronze in the eventing individual competition. “I’m actually grateful people can still […]

NBA Suns sign Paul to new four-year contract: report

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — All-star point guard Chris Paul, who guided the Phoenix Suns to their first NBA Finals since 1993, has agreed to a new four-year deal with Phoenix worth up to $120 million, US media reported Monday. The 36-year-old Paul opted out of his contract by declining a $44.2 million player option for next season, becoming an unrestricted free agent. Contract agreements with free agents cannot become official until the start […]

PHL gymnast Yulo narrowly misses Olympic medal after placing 4th in vault finals

  (Eagle News) – Filipino gymnast Carlos Yulo narrowly missed winning a medal at the men’s vault finals at the Tokyo Olympics on Monday, Aug. 2 after finishing fourth. The 21-year old Yulo scored 14.716, just .017 points from the third placer Arthur Davtyan of Armenia who scored 14.733. Yulo had scored 14.716 in his first attempt after his landing where his right foot stepped off the mat to balance himself, a minor error that […]

American Carey wins women’s gymnastics floor gold at Olympics

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — American Jade Carey won women’s gymnastics floor gold at the Olympics on Monday in a quick upturn in fortune after disappointing in the vault final 24 hours earlier. The 21-year-old from Arizona tumbled her way to a score of 14.366 to take the title from Italian 30-year-old veteran Vanessa Ferrari. There was a rare dead-heat for bronze between Japan’s Mai Murakami and Angelina Melnikova, who led the Russians to team gold […]

Defending champion Van Niekerk out of Olympic 400m

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Wayde van Niekerk’s reign as Olympic 400m champion came to a disappointing end on Monday as the South African world record holder was eliminated in the semi-finals at the Tokyo Games. Van Niekerk, who produced one of the highlights of the 2016 Rio Olympics with an electrifying world record run of 43.03sec in the final, was dumped out of contention after a fifth place finish in his semi-final. The 29-year-old from […]