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China smash Korea to lift Badminton Asia Mixed Teams title in Dubai

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China defended their Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships title at the Dubai Exhibition Centre when they beat South Korea in the final on Sunday. Although it was on expected lines, the Chinese dominance was still noteworthy considering that they were experimenting with a young and inexperienced side.

“It is not appropriate for me to talk about the strengths and weakness of one team in particular, but China being the powerhouse they are, their ‘B’ or ‘C’ teams also have such talent that they can compete with the world’s best,” said Moosa Nashed, secretary-general of Badminton Asia, the continental governing body.

The Mixed Team Championships gets ranking points not just for the countries, but also the individual players. “So it’s not just China, but countries such as Syria, Lebanon or the UAE – who did well as we saw in the group stages – also benefit when more and more players get such opportunities,” Nashed said.

He added that the Mixed Team Championships and the Individual Badminton Asia Championship, which will follow here in the UAE in April, are part of Badminton Asia’s intent to develop West Asia after decades of popularity for the game in the Far East. “The infrastructure and facilities in the UAE are among the best. We have been encouraged by what we have seen here and as you would know, we are committed to this region for the next five years. Next year is Paris 2024 and we are using such initiatives to promote West Asia as part of our Asia Olympic Project.”

 

Challenge that never was

Yet, the Olympic powerhouses China steamrolled past the Koreans, despite the pair of Kim Won-ho and Na Sung Seung getting the better of He Ji Ting and Zhou Hao Dong 21-19, 16-21, 21-17 in the third match of the final contest. Won-ho and Seung usually have different playing partners. The game alone lasted one hour and 15 minutes.

The Chinese response by the women’s doubles in the next was swift. Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning were ruthless and beat Jeong Na Eun and Lee So Hee 21-11, 21-10.

China started in the front when Lei Lan Xi beat Lee Yun Gyu 21-16, 21-15 to win the men’s singles. In the following women’s singles, Gao Fang Jie easily got past Kim Ga-eun 21-15, 21-15.

“Olympic gold is my ultimate dream, but I am focusing on present day and every tournament which will create the pathway for the Olympics. We should have dreams, but we should focus on present day,” remarked Gao after saying that she was mentally and physically prepared to tackle Sindhu on the day.

“I don’t think too much on tactics and defence. I focus on one point at a time.”


 

On the cards

China became the favourites going into the final after they beat India 3-2 in the semi-finals yesterday. India fought back from 2-0 down but lost the deciding rubber when the mixed doubles pair of Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin beat Ishaan Bhatnagar and the UAE-bred Tanisha Crasto. India and Thailand had to settle for bronze.

 

Earlier, Korea came back from a match down to defeat Thailand 3-1 in the first semi-finals. All the four teams have qualified for the World Mixed Team Championships, the Sudirman Cup, scheduled for May 2023.

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CHESS STARS TURN COWBOYS FOR A DAY AT NORWAY CHESS GAMES 2025

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In a dramatic twist from the chessboard to the Wild West, the world’s top chess players swapped pawns for pistols, sieves, and lassos in this year’s edition of Norway Chess Games.

Held on a tournament rest day, the tradition of light-hearted competition continued in unforgettable fashion with the “Chess Cowboy Challenge”, a high-spirited showdown in Westernbyen, a Western-themed village in Ålgård, just outside Stavanger.

This year’s participants was -the star-studded lineup from Norway Chess and Norway Chess Women. Sarasadat Khademalsharieh was unfortunately not able to join, and stepping in was Ella Carlsen, wife of Magnus, proving to be quite the sharpshooter in more ways than one.

Adopting their new Western personas, the players embraced the theme wholeheartedly:

Magnus “The Lone GOAT” Carlsen
Caruana “The Sicilian Sniper”
Hikaru “The Blitz Bandit” Nakamura
Arjun “No Slip” Erigaisi
Wei “The Quiet Storm” Yi
Gukesh “The Chennai Sharpshooter” D

Vaishali “The Rising Rider” Rameshbabu
Anna “Ice Veins” Muzychuk
Humpy “The Hammer” Koneru
Lei “The Lockdown” Tingjie
Ju “No-Loss” Wenjun
Ella Carlsen (stepping in as an honorary cowgirl)

With nicknames as fierce as their over-the-board styles, the competitors were more than ready to tackle the cowboy gauntlet ahead.

The Chess Cowboy Challenge took them through a series of wild tasks. They faced the Sheriff’s memory test in a jail escape, sought enlightenment by solving the priest’s riddle in the chapel, mined for gold, and tried their hand at axe throwing beside the church. Air rifles, lasso tosses, cowboy quizzes at the pleasure house, and classic horseshoe throws added to the flavor of the day, with real horses roaming the scene for that authentic atmosphere.

Each team, made up of one male and one female player, competed across all stations as they worked their way through the village.

Final Standings:

1st place: Magnus & Ella Carlsen — crowned Chess Sheriffs

2nd place: Hikaru Nakamura & Anna Muzychuk

3rd place: Fabiano Caruana & Vaishali Rameshbabu

4th place: Gukesh D & Ju Wenjun

5th place: Wei Yi & Lei Tingjie

6th place: Arjun Erigaisi & Humpy Koneru

About Norway Chess Games

Norway Chess Games is an annual tradition held during the tournament’s rest day. It gives the world’s best players a break from intense competition and a chance to connect in creative, unexpected ways. Previous editions have included:

  • Chess Chefs– a culinary battle where players cooked for top chefs
  • Cake Decorating Challenge– full of icing, sprinkles, and strategy
  • Farmer for a Day– featuring hand-milking cows and driving tractors
  • Design Your Own Knit Sweater– where players designed patterns later hand-knitted into real sweaters as unique keepsakes

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Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli invests in Dubai-founded World Bowling League to take the sport global

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India’s cricket superstar Virat Kohli has become an investor in the World Bowling League (WBL), a Dubai-founded initiative set to reinvent bowling as a fast-paced, global spectator sport.

Kohli joins Major League Baseball (MLB) icon Mookie Betts as a high-profile partner in the WBL, which was launched by Dubai-based entrepreneur Adi K. Mishra. The league is reimagining the traditional game with a dynamic format featuring mixed-gender teams, international tournaments, and a modern media-first approach aimed at younger audiences.

With franchises expected in Dubai and other global cities, the WBL plans to host 12 to 15 tournaments annually across the United States, Europe, and Asia, as part of its ambitious five-year growth plan.

“When I discovered Virat is also a bowler, it was exciting to align with this new-age vision for the sport,” said Mishra, founder and CEO of League Sports Co.

Kohli, one of the most followed athletes in the world on social media, revealed a long-standing personal connection to the sport.

“I started bowling when I was 11 years old,” Kohli said. “It’s clear how popular the sport is, yet it remains underappreciated as a business.”

The 36-year-old’s global influence and passion for sport are expected to significantly boost the league’s visibility and credibility as it enters its debut season. The WBL aims to position bowling not just as a recreational activity but as an engaging, competitive, and commercially viable sport with global appeal.

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Abu Dhabi-owned Manchester City boss says his team will come back stronger next season

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After a difficult season that saw Manchester City fall short of their lofty standards, Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has assured fans the team will bounce back in 2025 with renewed hunger and ambition.

Speaking in his annual end-of-season interview, published on the club’s website, Al Mubarak acknowledged that the recently concluded campaign was below par by City’s expectations. The team, which previously captured a historic Treble in 2022/23 and a record fourth consecutive Premier League title in 2023/24, ended this season with only the Community Shield to show.

“This season is now behind us,” Al Mubarak said. “Today is a new day. We’ve already started preparing for next season – in fact, we’ve been doing that since January.”

Transfer plans in motion

With the FIFA Club World Cup in June fast approaching, Al Mubarak confirmed that City are targeting new signings this summer to strengthen Pep Guardiola’s squad.

“We will take all the good things and the not-so-good things from this season, learn from them, and come back stronger,” he said. 

“The club will do everything possible to return to the standards we know we can achieve.”

He also revealed that top-level discussions were already underway, with Director of Football Txiki Begiristain, CEO Ferran Soriano, manager Pep Guardiola, and Football Partnerships Director Hugo Viana all working closely on transfer strategy.

“I just got off the phone with Ferran. He spent the day with Txiki, Pep, and Hugo today. We finished our last game yesterday, and today we’re working. Nobody’s going on vacation yet,” he added.

Hunger in the squad

Despite the underwhelming season, the mood in the dressing room remains determined and focused. Al Mubarak attended City’s final game of the campaign, a 2-0 win at Fulham, and noted a strong sense of motivation among the players.

“Everyone I saw after the Fulham game was excited about coming back,” he said. 

“They’re hungry. Rodri is already looking for games. Erling [Haaland] didn’t want to go on vacation, he wanted to stay with the physios and prepare for next season. That’s the attitude you want.”

Al Mubarak’s confidence in the club’s future stems from this player-driven determination and the leadership’s proactive approach to the upcoming transfer window.

“We’re going to come back strong, with a lot of positivity,” he said. “And I can assure you – we will be back competing for the biggest prizes next season.”

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