Asian Games: Hong Kong’s men make it hat-trick of rugby sevens golds, women win bronze

Kimi Antonelli will have to deal with an unfamiliar track and potentially heavy rain as he aims to recover from the “worst weekend” of his 2026 Formula 1 title challenge. The unusually named Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia takes Antonelli and his rivals to a track Formula 1 last visited in 2017 – when he was 11 – in a race hurriedly added to the calendar because of the disruption caused by the Iran war. It will take place at the Sepang International Circuit, about 60 kilometres (35 miles) south...

Caspar Fownes was left scratching his head after Alpha Strike’s wayward win at Sha Tin last time out but is not expecting similar antics when he goes for back-to-back wins at Sha Tin on Sunday. The speedy son of I Am Immortal won his only start in Australia pre-import and made a winning local start last October before going winless in five subsequent runs. He returned this campaign as a much improved model, lowering the colours of Solid State in a devastating performance, despite wandering all...

Hong Kong’s sailors had themselves a golden day at the Asian Games on Friday, while tennis star Coleman Wong Chak-lam has a shot at one of his own, although there is more at stake than just gold in his men’s singles final on Saturday. Victory over China’s Wu Yibing, whom he beat in the third round at the Games in Hangzhou, would earn Wong a place at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Wu also has that target in mind. Saturday could prove to be a historic one for Hong Kong’s athletes. The gold medals...

The newly founded basketball league Project B earlier this week announced the first stop of its inaugural global basketball grand prix: in Hangzhou in January next year. While the debut of the global basketball tour has seen a slight delay – from its intended start this November – and the announcement of the Chinese host city came months later than anticipated, Project B is one of many major sporting events to be held in mainland China between now and the end of next year. “China has always had...

Max Verstappen said he wants to win “at least one race this year” as ⁠the four-time Formula 1 champion sits ⁠in an unfamiliar sixth place in the championship ⁠standings after 15 rounds. Having dominated Formula 1 in recent years, Verstappen has managed only seven podium finishes this season and is still searching for that elusive first win, coming close with second-place finishes in his past two outings in Madrid and Baku. Verstappen’s desperate charge against George Russell on the final...

Most of the hype on the National Day undercard surrounded Hot Delight and Jedi Spurs, but it was Sky Jewellery and Ka Ying Lightning who stole the show and underlined their own immense talent with impressive victories. Sky Jewellery stamped himself a potential Group One Hong Kong Mile contender with a barnstorming return in the Class Two Beijing Handicap (1,400m), improving his record to six wins from nine starts after gunning down Hot Delight late. And Ka Ying Lightning maintained his perfect...

David Eustace has not ruled out international targets for his crack sprinter Colourful King after he ran riot to win the Group Three National Day Cup (1,000m) at Sha Tin on Thursday. Sent off the $2.2 favourite, those who took skinny odds about Colourful King had very few worries, with the Blue Point galloper breaking well and sitting handy behind duelling leaders Beauty Waves and Magical Control. The latter won that argument handily at the 400m pole, but he was always being stalked by Colourful...

The Premier League has won a lengthy legal battle with Manchester City over financial impropriety, but the consequences could leave lasting damage for a league that has long been the envy of world football. City face severe sanctions after being found guilty of more than 100 charges between 2009 and 2018, with an independent commission exposing “sham” contracts to artificially inflate the club’s revenues and reduce costs by more than £900 million (US$1.2 billion). A hefty points deduction...

Philippines tennis star Alexandra Eala saw her bid for Asian Games gold, and ⁠qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles ⁠Olympics, end in Thursday’s semi-finals after a stunning 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 loss to China’s world No 85 Wang Xiyu. Top seed and world No 18 Eala was looking to become the first woman from the Philippines to win the title. The 21-year-old will instead go home with only a bronze medal, which she had also won at the last Games in Hangzhou, where she also won bronze in the mixed...

Sha Tin Racecourse was filled with music, acrobatic displays and cheering on Thursday as some 10,000 tourists and local residents gathered to celebrate National Day. Despite Hong Kong sweltering in 33-degree Celsius (91.4 Fahrenheit) heat on October 1, spectators fanned themselves under clear morning skies, eagerly awaiting special performances for the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the marquee Group 3 National Day Cup. Jockey Club boss Winfried...

Hong Kong’s athletes edged the city ever closer to another historic medal haul at the Asian Games on Thursday, with the cyclists, sailors and men’s squash team all adding to the tally. The women’s squash team have guaranteed themselves at least a silver on Friday, while tennis star Coleman Wong Chak-lam eased into the semi-finals of the men’s singles, and in rugby sevens, the men began the defence of their title with two dominant performances in Nagoya. Ever since the schedule came out, there...

Alexandra Eala faces her toughest test of the Asian Games so far on Thursday when she takes on China’s Wang Xinyu in the semi-finals of the women’s singles. Victory will take the 21-year-old a step closer to gold, but after battling past Chinese Taipei’s Joanna Garland in the last eight, she said it had not been an easy decision to come to Japan in the first place. While Eala and the rest are in Nagoya, the China Open is taking place in Beijing, and as a WTA 1000 event, it is mandatory for tour...