Sports

22 foreign marathon runners welcomed in Yehliu

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/03/19
By: Wang Hung-kuo and Kuo Chung-han

Taipei, March 19 (CNA) New Taipei City government welcomed 22 foreign 201603190019t0001runners, representing nine countries, at the Boutix Resort Hotel in Yehliu on Saturday, prior to an internationally certified marathon the following day.

The 2016 New Taipei City Wan Jin Shi Marathon, which runs through the city’s Wanli, Jinshan and Shimen districts on the northern coast, is the only marathon in Taiwan certified by the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) and attracts about 12,000 runners from home and abroad.

Out of the 22 elite marathon runners invited, 11 are men, including William Chebon Chebor of Kenya and Japanese “citizen runner” Yuki Kawauchi.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan defeat Guam in Taipei

COMEBACK:The hosts got goals from Chen Chao-an, Wu Chun-ching and Chen Wei-chuan to overcome a 2-1 halftime deficit. They are to play Vietnam on Thursday

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 20, 2016
By: Dave Carroll and Jason Pan / Staff reporters

Taiwan came from behind to defeat Guam 3-2 in an international friendly at

Taiwan’s Chen Chao-an, left, shoots during their game against Guam in Taipei last night. Photo: Lo Pei-der, Taipei Times

Taiwan’s Chen Chao-an, left, shoots during their game against Guam in Taipei last night. Photo: Lo Pei-der, Taipei Times

the Taipei Municipal Stadium last night.

Taiwan took the lead in the fifth minute through Chen Chao-an, but Guam hit back through Edward Na in the 34th minute after good work by Shane Malcolm on the right.

Malcolm then got on the scoresheet himself in the 44th minute after Taiwan goalkeeper Lu Kun-chi failed to deal with a shot, handing the visitors a 2-1 lead going into the break.

Taiwan had Guam on the back foot at the beginning of the second half, with Lin Chien-hsun having his shot blocked on the goal-line in the 54th minute.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan ranks as world’s 3rd strongest baseball power

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/03/18
By: H.H. Lin and Flor Wang

Taipei, March 18 (CNA) Taiwan has achieved a new high in terms of its baseball power, after 201603180027t0001grabbing the world’s third strongest place, falling behind only Japan and the United States, the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) announced on Friday.

According to the WBSC, Taiwan scored a record high of 4,702 points in its Baseball World Ranking, moving a notch ahead of its previous ranking and edging out Cuba, which had 3,727 points, to fifth place.

Japan holds the world’s No. 1 spot with 5,154 points, followed by the U.S. with 5,091 points.

The number of points is calculated by the number of games each country’s team scores in competitions around the world.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Predators to face Warhawks

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 19, 2016
By: Shelley Shan / Staff reporter

The Taipei Predators, the nation’s only American football team, is to play the Hong Kong Warhawks in Taipei today, their first battle against a team from overseas since their formation at the end of last year.

This is to be the second football competition to take place in Taiwan.

The first was in July 1994, when the then-newly formed United Football League (UFL) brought North American players to Taiwan for 30 exhibition games.

The UFL was a six-team Asian league, with the team representing Taiwan called the Taipei Dragons.     [FULL  STORY]

Second seeds Chan sisters, Murray ousted

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 16, 2016
By: Dave Carroll / Staff reporter, with AP, INDIAN WELLS, California

The Chan sisters crashed out of the second round of the women’s doubles at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, on Monday, the second seeds losing a day after the shock defeat of top seeds Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza.

Chan Hao-ching and Chan Yung-jan fell to a 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 defeat to US duo Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Coco Vandeweghe in 1 hour, 30 minutes.

The US pairing saved five of nine break points and converted six of 11, winning 72 of the 131 points contested to set up a quarter-final against eighth-seeded fellow Americans Raquel Atawo and Abigail Spears.

In the men’s singles, another second seed was upset in the third round, Andy Murray losing 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7/3) to world No. 53 Federico Delbonis of Argentina.     [FULL  STORY]

Chen Long out, Taiwan’s Tai Tzu-ying in quarters

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 12, 2016
By: AP, BIRMINGHAM, England

Defending champion Chen Long was ousted in the second round of the

Taiwan’s Tai Tzu-ying looks across the court during her All England Championships match against Sung Ji-hyun of South Korea at the Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham on Thursday. Photo: Chuo Chia-ping, Taipei Times

Taiwan’s Tai Tzu-ying looks across the court during her All England Championships match against Sung Ji-hyun of South Korea at the Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham on Thursday. Photo: Chuo Chia-ping, Taipei Times

badminton All England Championships by Chinese teammate Xue Song 21-19, 21-17 on Thursday.

For the second straight day, the last singles match in the arena produced an eye-opener. Second-ranked Lee Chong Wei, a three-time champion, lost in straight sets late on Wednesday, followed by top-ranked Chen, who succumbed to a teammate familiar with his style.

Xue, who lost their only previous meeting on tour in the first round at the same event last year, controlled the early stages, letting Chen lead only briefly before closing the first game on his first game point.

Chen dictated more in the second, but from 13-11 ahead, the world champion had to rally to tie Xue on 17. Xue won the final four points and, at 30, was the lowest-ranked player in the quarter-finals.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan’s Chan sisters advance

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 12, 2016
By: Dave Carroll / Staff reporter, with AP, INDIAN WELLS, California

The Chan sisters advanced to the second round of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, on Thursday, while two-time Grand Slam champions Hsieh Su-wei and Peng Shuai lost their first match since losing the WTA Finals doubles final in Singapore in October 2014.

Second seeds Chan Hao-ching and Chan Yung-jan defeated German wild-cards Angelique Kerber and Andrea Petkovic 6-4, 6-3 in 74 minutes at Stadium 2 at the India Wells Tennis Garden.

The Taiwanese sisters saved four of eight break points and converted six of 13, winning 60 of the 111 points contested to pick up the scalp of world No. 2 singles player Kerber.     [FULL  STORY]

Australian cyclist crowned Tour de Taiwan champion

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/03/10
By: Lee Chin-wei and Romulo Huang

Taipei, March 10 (CNA) Australian cyclist Robbie Hucker won the Tour de

The Avanti Iso Whey Sports team, including Robbie Hucker in the center. (Photo courtesy of Tour de Taiwan)

The Avanti Iso Whey Sports team, including Robbie Hucker in the center. (Photo courtesy of Tour de Taiwan)

Taiwan championship and received the iconic yellow jersey after completing the five-stage race in a cumulative time of 15 hours, 16 minutes and 2 seconds on Thursday in Pintung, southern Taiwan.

Hucker, a member of the Avanti Iso Whey Sports team of Australia, won the final 146.26-kilometer stage of the race from Tainan to Pingtung in a time of 3 hours, 52 minutes and 54 seconds, leading his team to win the group title with a cumulative total time of 45 hours, 50 minutes and 7 seconds.

Meanwhile, Hucker’s 21-year-old teammate Ben O’Connor received the white jersey for the best cyclist in the under-23 age category, with a cumulative time of 15:16:39.

American cyclist Marco Canola of the United Healthcare Pro Cycling team from the United States was awarded the green jersey for the best sprinter, with a cumulative total of 39 points.     [FULL  STORY]

Champion falls in first round, Taiwan hopes all but gone

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 11, 2016
By: AP, BIRMINGHAM, England

Three-time champion Lee Chong Wei was upset in the first round of the badminton All England Championships on Wednesday, with Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen the only other seeded player of 16 to lose across the men’s and women’s fields.

Just when the round seemed set to finish virtually incident-free, the last match of an 11-hour day stunned the remaining fans, as B. Sai Praneeth of India, who lost all four previous meetings with Lee, ousted the second-seeded Malaysian 24-22, 22-20.

The defeat ended Lee’s 21-match winning streak, which included titles in France, China, Hong Kong and Malaysia since October last year. They helped him rebound quicker than even he expected from an eight-month doping suspension last year.     [FULL  STORY]

Australian cyclist wins fourth stage of Tour de Taiwan

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/03/09
By: Lee Chin-wei and Romulo Huang

Taipei, March 9 (CNA) Australian cyclist William Clarke won the fourth stage of

William Clarke (front)

William Clarke (front)

the Tour de Taiwan in mountainous Nantou County Wednesday, and his compatriot Ben O’Connor retained the yellow jersey, clocking a cumulative time of 11 hours 22 minutes and 22 seconds after completing four stages of the five-stage race.

Clarke, a member of the Drapac Professional Cycling team, completed the 166.56-kilometer race in a time of 4 hours 6 minutes and 6 seconds.

O’Connor of the Avanti Iso Whey Sports team crossed the finish line just behind Clarke was awarded the white jersey for the best cyclist in the under-23 age category.

Meanwhile, Marco Canola of the United Healthcare Pro Cycling team in the United States received the green jersey for the best sprinter, with a cumulative total of 39 points.     [FULL  STORY]