World No. 1 An Se-young eased into the women's singles final in badminton at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan on Monday, giving herself a chance to make history. An dispatched Chen Yufei of China 2-0 (21-5, 21-12) in the semifinals at Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium in Ichinomiya, just northwest of the main host city, Nagoya. An will now try to become the first player to win back-to-back women's singles gold medals in Asian Games history. The women's singles event was first contested in 1962. In a rematch of the 2023 Asiad gold medal game, An continued her dominance against her longtime Chinese rival. An scored the first nine points of the opening game to set the tone. In the second game after Chen overcame a 5-1 early deficit to pull into a 6-6 tie, An scored five consecutive points to pull ahead again. An has now won five straight meetings against Chen. In Tuesday's final, An will face Akane Yamaguchi of Japan. An has won her past eight meetings against Yamaguchi, including their singles match during the team event here last week. Earlier on Monday, Lee So-hee and Baek Hana reac

South Korea's Mo Su-min won the silver medal in the women's 78-kilogram kurash event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Monday, marking the country's first kurash medal at the games. Mo lost to Pokizakhon Kamoldinova of Uzbekistan 10-0 by a khalol (a full point) in the event's final at Aichi Prefectural Martial Arts Hall in Nagoya, Japan. Mo's silver is also the first kurash medal won by a female athlete since the wrestling-like sport was introduced to the Asian Games in 2018. South Korean male kurash wrestlers have won one silver and one bronze at the previous Asian Games. Kurash is a type of wrestling practiced in Central Asia. Athletes attempt to score by throwing their opponents, with a khalol, a throw that lands the opponent on their back, declared a victory, while other ground techniques are prohibited.

South Korea's fencing team wrapped up its Asian Games campaign with four gold medals, its lowest haul in 16 years, leaving behind both achievements and challenges ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. South Korea captured four golds, four silvers and two bronzes in the fencing competition, which ran from Tuesday to Sunday at Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname, south of Nagoya. In the fencing medal table, South Korea finished second behind host Japan, which won six golds, two silvers and three bronzes. It was the first time South Korea had lost the top position in fencing at the Asian Games since 2010, when the country first rose to the top with seven gold medals. Since then, South Korea had remained atop the standings, winning eight golds in 2014, and six each in 2018 and 2023. The host country's strength was widely expected, as Japan's fencing has made its presence felt on the world stage since the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Japan won five fencing medals, including two golds, at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and most of its Olympians competed at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. For South Korea, fencing off

NAGOYA, Japan — With Korea about to take on China in the semifinals of the Asiad men's football tournament this week, winger Eom Ji-sung said Monday the biggest threat to his team's gold medal chase may be complacency. "The moment we start taking wins for granted, we will fall apart," Eom said in a video released by the Korea Football Association (KFA) during the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Korea's under-23 team will face China at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, some 140 kilometers west of the main host city, Nagoya. Coached by Lee Min-sung, the young Taegeuk Warriors are trying to claim South Korea's fourth consecutive men's football gold medal. It has been mostly smooth sailing so far. Eom's hat trick powered South Korea past Qatar 4-1 in the first group stage match, and Korea blanked Saudi Arabia 2-0 to clinch the top spot in Group D. Then in the quarterfinals, Korea routed Vietnam 4-0. "The mood has been great in training sessions, after those wins in the group stage and the quarterfinals," Eom said. "Our attackers have been on fire. After I scored three times in the first

INAZAWA, Japan — After losing their berth in the men's handball final at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Monday, Korea's head coach praised his players for competing on equal terms with defending champion Qatar. "I told my players that I'm proud of them. We lost the match, but our players did well," said Cho Young-shin, who broke into tears after the semifinal. "I think our players' resolve and determination to win were much bigger than those of the opponent." Korea lost to Qatar 32-20 in the event's semifinal at Entrio in Inazawa, just northwest of Nagoya, Japan. The team fought a seesaw battle in the first half and the first 20 minutes of the second half against Qatar, which is seeking its fourth consecutive Asian Games title. But Korea failed to make a comeback in the end. "From an objective perspective, the Qatari team, pursuing its fourth consecutive Asian Games gold, is about seven to three better than us, I think," he said. "But our players played on equal terms for 60 minutes, never giving up and showing all they have." Korea had sought its first gold medal in men's handball since

MANILA, Philippines — Zamboanga SiKat asserted its superiority over Imus Yangkee, 86-61, on Monday to keep its playoff drive going in the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season at the Calapan City Coliseum in Oriental Mindoro. Improving on their 102-82 thumping of the Yangkees in their first encounter this year, the Zamboanguenos led by as many as 31 points (62-31) to arrange a knockout match with either the Mindoro Tamaraws or the Basilan Steel, who are battling each other in the second game, for the eighth and last quarterfinal slot in the South Division. All 15 Zamboanga players scored, led by Brandon Wilson with 12 points plus rebounds; Levi Hernandez, with 10 points plus 6 rebounds; Joseph Gabayni, with 7 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists; John Arthur Calisay, with 7 points and 4 rebounds; and Robin Rono, with 7 points and 4 assists. It was Paeng Are, the MPBL's first One Versus One champion, who was chosen the SportsPlus best player with 12 assists, 3 steals, 3 points and 2 rebounds. Zamboanga, with Calisay and Puray outscoring the entire Imus crew, 13-11 stormed ahead at halftime, 56-31, and never looked back. The Zamboanguenos ruled the boards, 61-40, and turned that into more points in the paint, 44-20. Imus concluded its campaign this year, putting to waste Dylan Darbin's 17 points and Ian Pardo's 16. The MPBL first held its games in Calapan in 2023 at the nearby Sentrong Pangkabataan Gym. Pola Mayor Jennifer "Ina Alegre" Cruz, team owner of the Mindoro Tamaraws, and Calapan City Mayor Doy Leachon led thousands of spectators who filled the newly inaugurated coliseum. TMT

T-Mc Ongotan dropped a career-high 29 points as Arellano University squeaked past Colegio de San Juan de Letran, 82-81, in the NCAA Season 102 on Monday at the Filoil Centre in San Juan.

Squash may have secured its long-awaited Olympic debut at the 2028 Los ⁠Angeles Games, but the chief of ⁠the sport’s global governing body is acutely aware ⁠of budget and venue squeezes and is not taking a spot at the Brisbane 2032 Olympics in Australia for granted. While World Squash is leaving no stone unturned in its bid to retain its Olympic spot, banking on the game’s expanding global footprint and plug-and-play sustainability, its president Zena Wooldridge took a pragmatic view of...

MANILA, Philippines — Arellano University snapped Colegio de San Juan de Letran’s three-game winning streak, 82-82, to stay flawless in Group B of the NCAA Season 102 men’s basketball tournament on Monday night at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City. T-mc Ongotan posted a career-high performance of 29 points, 12 rebounds, and three steals to help the Arellano Chiefs enjoy a 4-0 win-loss record. Karl Flores added 10 markers, while King Vinoya, Basti Valencia, and Ernjay Geronimo added nine points each for the team’s victory. Playing without Titing Manalili, Chad Gammad led the scoring for the Knights with 23 points, while rookie Justine Cargo added 20 points; all went down the drain.

NCAA Season 102 Men’s Basketball Tournament   Arellano def. Letran, 82-81 T-MC Ongotan  Player of the Game #NCAASeason102

CHICAGO — The Chicago Bulls have acquired veteran guard Buddy Hield and cash from the Charlotte Hornets for guard Rob Dillingham. The teams announced the trade on Sunday. Hield, 33, is on the move for the second time in five days. He was traded from Atlanta to Charlotte on Tuesday. Hield played for Golden State and Atlanta last season, averaging 7.6 points in 51 games. He was traded from the Warriors to the Hawks in February. Chicago, which went 31-51 last season, is rebuilding under new leadership. Bryson Graham was hired as executive vice president of basketball operations in May, and Tiago Splitter was hired as coach in June. The Bulls selected Caleb Wilson and Dailyn Swain in the first round of the draft in June. They also signed Norman Powell in free agency. Dillingham, who turns 22 in January, was the No. 8 pick in the 2024 draft. He was traded from Minnesota to Chicago in the Ayo Dosunmu deal in February. The North Carolina native averaged 6.3 points and 2.2 assists in 65 games last season. Dillingham joins a Charlotte team that went 44-38 last year in its first winning season since 2021-22. The Hornets beat the Miami Heat 127-126 in the NBA's play-in tournament before being eliminated by the Orlando Magic in their next game.

Alex Eala will team up with Shaira Rivera as the Filipina tandem begins its women's doubles campaign in the 2026 Asian Games on Tuesday.