Asian Para Games: no gold for Hong Kong, but table tennis team keep medals coming

China denied the United States an eighth consecutive women’s team title at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships on Wednesday to win their first gold medal in 20 years. The quartet of Du Siyu, Ke Qinqin, Qiu Qiyuan and Zhang Qingying combined to score 165.764 points, just ahead of the United States and Japan, who finished with 165.531 and 164.063 points respectively. All three countries secured direct passage to the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028. Winning their first title since 2006,...

Around six years ago, during one of his 105 visits to China, Steve Bellis was approached by a Scotsman at a British Council function. “He said, ‘Remind me to tell you my Stockport County story before I leave’,” Bellis said. “I said, ‘Hang on a minute, I do the Stockport County stories around here’.” The president of the high-flying League One club, which he first joined 37 years ago, Bellis does indeed boast an endless stream of tales about his beloved Stockport. The man from Glasgow’s was...

James Orman slotted his first Hong Kong treble at Happy Valley on Wednesday night as champion jockey Zac Purton continued his momentum with a three-timer of his own. Orman bagged his biggest haul since joining the city’s elite riding ranks in February last year when he booted home the Caspar Fownes-trained Verbier, Chris So Wai-yin’s Malpensa and the Ricky Yiu Poon-fai-trained Solid Win. “It’s my first treble in Hong Kong and I’m very excited, very happy,” Orman said. “I came here with good...

Veteran Chinese hurdler Wu Yanni has responded to renewed public criticism following her bronze-medal finish in the 100m hurdles at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, revealing recent physical health struggles and vowing to continue competing for as long as her body allows. In a series of interview videos released on Tuesday and Wednesday, the outspoken athlete addressed accusations of being “high-profile” and “talking big”. “My mother thinks I talk too big, but I don’t think I do,” Wu said....

Hong Kong delivered a strong medal haul at the Asian Para Games on Wednesday, with the city winning their first gold after boccia player Vivian Lau Wai-yan beat teammate Cheung Yuen in the final in Nagoya. City athletes also won four silver and four bronze medals during an action-packed day in Japan. The main area of success for the city’s men and women was on the boccia court, where Hong Kong enjoyed a dominant outing, eventually claiming one gold, three silvers and one bronze. Lau and Cheung...

Chinese table tennis star Fan Zhendong has again condemned secret filming after photos of a private trip were leaked online. On Tuesday, a self-proclaimed “superfan” uploaded two photo-slide show videos of Fan onto social media, captioning them: “No more hiding, let’s share.” The images showed Fan walking alone through Shanghai Pudong International Airport wearing a mask and hat, showing his movements on escalators and boarding. In one photo taken from just behind him, the poster claimed Fan was...

LeBron James said the Philadelphia 76ers still had plenty of room for improvement after launching their NBA season with an impressive opening night victory over the New York Knicks on Tuesday. James, 41, launched his quest for a fifth NBA championship with 14 points and seven assists in a 106-100 defeat of the reigning champions at Madison Square Garden. But despite an encouraging first win in a Philadelphia uniform, James was keeping his feet firmly on the ground. “It’s going to take some...

Louis Oosthuizen has joined the LIV Golf exodus, saying it was “time to move on” after four years on the breakaway tour. Twice a LIV tournament runner-up, and captain of the Southern Guards GC team, Oosthuizen is poised to return from a two-month injury lay-off in this week’s Link Hong Kong Open from Thursday. The bottom fell out of LIV this year when its Saudi Arabian backers turned off the money taps. Players have until Sunday to declare whether they would commit to a new iteration, after the...

Jay Rooney LOVE TOGETHER - R6 (8) Cracking run on return and can take advantage of a good draw and light weight   Owen Goulding EMBRACES - R9 (9) Drawn well, on a dangerous mark and will get the pace needed to mow them down   Paul Lally PEGAS - R8 (8) Drawn to get the best run in the race from barrier one and can sail through late on   Phillip Woo LOVE TOGETHER - R6 (8) Caught the eye first up and can deliver up in grade off a light weight   Trackwork Spy LOVE TOGETHER - R6 (8) Hit the line well...

Chinese table tennis star Sun Yingsha has warned fans against organising any birthday celebrations ahead of her turning 26 years old, calling on supporters to redirect their attention to the court. In recent years, supporters of prominent Chinese athletes have increasingly mirrored the entertainment industry’s so-called “fan circles” by organising lavish tributes, including commercial LED billboard campaigns in city centres, charity drives, offline promotional displays and drone light...

Hong Kong’s fencers have set their sights on the Los Angeles Paralympics after winning silver in the women’s foil team event at the Asian Para Games on Tuesday. Lam Ka-man, Yu Chui-yee, Tong Nga-ting and Chung Yuen-ping lost 30-12 to China in the final at the Nagoya City Inae Sports Centre, having come from behind to beat Thailand 30-23 in the semi-final. Despite the presence of veteran Yu, who also took women’s foil category A bronze on Monday, Hong Kong were always chasing gold and trailed...

Caspar Fownes is “very happy” with the start of his season and is looking to keep the winners rolling in with the likes of Love Together, Perfect General and Forza Toro at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. The champion trainer secured his fifth title last campaign and has slotted home nine winners so far this season, sitting fifth in the championship standings which are headed by Pierre Ng Pang-chi on 12 winners. Known as the ‘King of the Valley’, Fownes is taking his start at face value and is...