Category: Sports

Czech Marketa Vondrousova beat Tunisian Ons Jabeur in two sets Saturday and became the 2023 Wimbledon ladies’ singles champion. The 24-year-old defeated the Tunisian, 6-4, 6-4. Both players fought for their maiden Grand Slam title in London. Jabeur, who is world no. 6, was deemed closer to winning the title by many, but world no. 42 Vondrousova surpassed expectations. Vondrousova, who is expected to climb about 30 ranks in the global women’s singles ranking after her title win, became the first unseeded woman to win Wimbledon in the Open era

Source: Philippines News Agency

Malaysian Altamis Aqhar Sallam A Sufian ended the hopes of Filipino Christopher Buraga in the 7th Borneo Junior Open Boys’ Under-17 squash tournament semifinal at the Squash Racquets Association of Sarawak courts on Saturday night. Sufian of Bukit Jalil Sports School survived losing the opening set to prevail, 11-13, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7, after a 40-minute duel. “It was a tough match. I did my best but he played better,” the 16-year-old Buraga said in an online interview on Sunday. He also lost to Sufian, 7-11, 11-7, 11-8, 10-12, 9-11, in the battle for 11th place at the 19th Penang Junior Open in Georgetown, Malaysia in June. Buraga, ranked No. 10 in the Asian Squash Federation U-17 category, will face another Malaysian, Aqil Mirza Naim bin Khairil Fariz, for the bronze medal. Fariz bowed to compatriot Addin Iqwan of Terengganu state, 4-11, 9-11, 9-11, in the other semifinal match. The 7th Borneo Junior Open is a gold event in the Asian Junior Super Series.

Source: Philippines News Agency

Japan dominated the men’s and women’s freestyle flatland competitions in the Asian Cycling Confederation BMX Road and Freestyle Championships here on Saturday. Moto Sasaki, a 38-year-old rider from Matsudo City in Chiba Prefecture, scored 90.725 points to top the men’s division at the newly refurbished and multipurpose Tagaytay City Combat Center. Masato Ito, 32, from Osaka registered 88.00 points to secure the silver medal while Pakphum Poosa Art from Bangkok, Thailand settled for the bronze with 84.00 points. Filipinos Dwyne Lopena (76.400), Georich Cardino (76.150) and Renz Viaje (74.100) finished fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively, followed by Malaysians Sheik Muhammad Taslim Shaik (69.525) and Wan Mohamad Shah Yahya (66.075). “Japan’s performance is really high level. Of course, they participate in the World Cup, World Championships, the Grand Prix and the Olympics. But for me, our skills are almost similar. We can do it, too, but we really lack exposures,” said Viaje, who also serves as coach. Meanwhile, Sakura Kawaguchi was crowned women’s champion after posting 78.375 points to beat compatriot Kirara Nakagawa (77.925). Thai Sudarat Suvanich (71.700) and local bet Kristal Hernandez (67.450) occupied the next two spots. Nakagawa was silver medalist while Kawaguchi bagged the bronze medal at the UCI BMX Freestyle World Cup held in Montpellier, France last May. China’s Yawn Deng scored 82 points to rule the women’s park in freestyle. Another Chinese, Gian Zheng (77), took the silver and Japan’s Nene Naito (71.26) got the bronze medal. Filipino Asian Mariano (40) was seventh.

Source: Philippines News Agency

Portuguese football player Cristiano Ronaldo has earned a Guinness World Records title for the highest annual earnings for an athlete in 2023, according to a statement released on the organization’s website. “For the first time since 2017 (and third time overall), Cristiano Ronaldo has topped Forbes’ list of the world’s highest-paid athletes, earning himself a Guinness World Records title for the highest annual earnings for an athlete in 2023,” the statement reads. Ronaldo’s record earnings for the year are estimated at $136 million, including $46 million in on-field earnings and $90 million in off-field earnings, according to Forbes. Argentinian forward Lionel Messi came in second with $130 million, split evenly between $65 million in on-field earnings and $65 million in off-field earnings. In comparison with another football player, French player Kylian Mbappe’s on-field earnings of $100 million contribute heavily to his total of $120 million.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA – The Jiu-Jitsu Federation of the Philippines is sending 18 athletes to the World Championships scheduled from July 14 to 20 at the Steppe Arena in Ulaabaatar City, Mongolia. Kimberly Anne Custodio, who ruled the women’s -45kg last year in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), will banner the team leaving on Friday. Also competing are 2023 Cambodia SEAG gold medalists Jenna Kaila Napolis, Annie Ramirez and Marc Alexander Lim, and bronze medalists Jan Vincent Cortez and Myron Miles Mangubat. Custodio and Daniella Palanca are both entered in the women’s -45kg division, Napolis is entered in the women’s -52kg, while Lim and Mangubat will see action in the men’s -62kg division. Ramirez, who won three gold medals in different divisions at the SEAG, will compete in the women’s -57kg and Cortez in the men’s -56kg division. Others in the line-up are Jollirine Co (women’s -48kg), Andrea Lois Lao (women’s -63kg), Anna Angelica Mitra (women’s -70kg), Dylan Chrystle Reign Valmores (women’s +70kg), Carlo Angelo Peña (men’s -56kg), Michael Bryan Tiu (men’s -69kg), Gerard Gallos (men’s -77kg), Dean Michael Roxas and Luigi Joshua Ladera (men’s -85kg) and John Alfred Raphael Arellano (men’s -94kg). Napolis, who delivered the Philippines’ first gold medal in jiu-jitsu during the Cambodia SEAG last May, is hoping for the best in her third trip to the worlds. “We are 20 in my division so it’s hard to say what’s my chance. But I am hopeful, I will do my best. The target is always to win the gold medal in every competition,” said the 25-year-old resident of Muntinlupa City in an interview on Thursday. In 2021, Napolis finished third behind gold winner Moldir Mekenbayeva (Kazakhstan) and silver medalist Duong Thi Thanh Minh (Vietnam). Last year, she failed to reach the podium. Napolis won the silver medal at the 2019 and 2022 SEA Games, 2018 Abu Dhabi World Tour Grand Slam (United Kingdom) and 2017 Asian Indor and Martial Arts Games (Turkmenistan), and the bronze medal at the 2016 Asian Beach Games (Vietnam). Custodio captured the bronze medal at the 2019 Asian Championships (Mongolia) while Cortez pocketed the gold medal at the 2019 Thailand Grand Prix and 2018 South East Asian Championships (Thailand), and the silver at the 2018 Asian Championships (Kazakhstan). “We have really high hopes to place in the ranking by countries. It will definitely be a tough competition as a lot of countries are also preparing for the Filipino competitors, but we believe that the hard work that the athletes have done this year will pay off,” said coach Allan Co, who together with John Baylon arrived in Mongolia last Wednesday. Baylon, a nine-time SEA Games judo champion, has joined the jiu-jitsu coaching staff this year. (PNA)

Source: Philippines News Agency

ANKARA – South African 800-meter runner Caster Semenya, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, has won an appeal against track and field’s testosterone rules at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). Semenya hailed Tuesday’s decision for ending ‘discriminatory’ testosterone limits imposed on female athletes. “I am elated at the outcome of the ruling,” she said in a statement. “I have and will always stand up for discrimination of any kind in sports.” The ECHR said there had been a ‘violation of the prohibition of discrimination taken together with the right to respect for private life as well as a violation of the right to an effective remedy.’ Semenya had complained about certain regulations of the International Association of Athletics Federations requiring her to take hormone treatment to decrease her naturally high levels of testosterone in order to be able to take part in international competitions in the female category. The 32-year-old was no longer able to take part in international competitions as she refused to undergo the treatment. Semenya won Olympic gold medals in the women’s 800 meters at London 2012 and Rio 2016 and also won three World Championships in 2009, 2011 and 2017. (Anadolu)

Source: Philippines News Agency

Novak Djokovic will face Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon gentlemen’s singles semifinals after beating Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals on Tuesday. The Serbian legend eliminated Russia’s Rublev in 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 and 6-3 sets. “There were some thrilling rallies,” Djokovic said after securing his career’s 46th Grand Slam semifinal. “Andrey is a guy I respect a lot, obviously. He brings a lot of intensity. I wish him the best of luck. I have to congratulate him for a great match,” he added. Sinner, on the other hand, swept Roman Safiullin aside with 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 and 6-2 sets in another quarterfinal match-up on Tuesday. “It means a lot to me,” said Sinner. “We’ve put a lot of work in, many, many hours – also off court – a lot of sacrifices for this moment.” “I was a break up in the second and I get down, mentally, a little bit and this is a part we are working on a lot. Obviously, I’m very happy with how I reacted in the next couple of sets.” The gentlemen’s semifinals will be played on Friday, while the final game will be held on Sunday

Source: Philippines News Agency