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Free Malaysia Today
3 days ago
- Free Malaysia Today
China's Qin wins ‘miracle' second breaststroke gold at swim worlds
Qin Haiyang celebrates after winning the gold medal in the men's 200m breaststroke final at the World Aquatics Championships. (AP pic) SINGAPORE : China's roaring Qin Haiyang won his second breaststroke gold of the Singapore swimming world championships on Friday, edging a 200m nailbiter. World record holder Qin touched the wall in 2:07.41, ahead of Japan's Ippei Watanabe (2:07.70) and Caspar Corbeau of the Netherlands (2:07.73). The 26-year-old Qin won the 100m breaststroke earlier in the week but he celebrated his second victory as if it were his first. He punched the air before whipping up the delighted Chinese fans in the arena, who screamed him on to a thrilling victory. Qin started the race in lane eight after qualifying slowest from the semi-finals but it made no difference as he regained the world title he won in 2023 in style. 'Amazing,' said Qin. 'Have you heard of the lane eight miracle? 'I did not know if I was second or third, I just heard 'whoo', so I knew I had won.' The lead changed hands several times throughout the race, with American AJ Pouch and Russian Kirill Prigoda also challenging. In the end it was Qin who got the decisive touch ahead of Watanabe, giving the Chinese swimmer his fourth medal of the championships in Singapore. Qin is returning to form after a difficult time at last year's Paris Olympics, where he did not even make the final of the 200m breaststroke. His preparations for the Games were thrown into turmoil when he was implicated in a major doping scandal months before the Games. A report named Qin among 23 Chinese swimmers who had tested positive for a prescription heart drug ahead of the pandemic-delayed 2021 Tokyo Olympics. They were not sanctioned after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accepted the argument of Chinese authorities that the positive tests were caused by contaminated food.


Free Malaysia Today
4 days ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Endo captains Liverpool against hometown club Yokohama
Liverpool's Wataru Endo (center) controls the ball during a friendly match against Yokohama F Marinos at the Nissan stadium in Japan. (AP pic) YOKOHAMA : Wataru Endo said he could not join Yokohama F Marinos after a trial at the J-League club years ago, after the Japan midfielder returned to his hometown side on Wednesday as a Liverpool player. It was the first time Endo played in the Liverpool shirt in his own country as the Premier League champions beat Yokohama 3-1 in a pre-season friendly. 'I supported this club actually and I went to (a) trial but I couldn't join this club. Now I came back here as a player of (Liverpool). It was a dream-come-true moment,' the 32-year-old told Liverpool's official website. 'It was an amazing moment for me because I came back to Japan as a Liverpool player. For me, it meant a lot.' Endo made his senior debut at Shonan Bellmare, a club based in Hiratsuka, over 30km away from Yokohama. He played for Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart before joining Liverpool in 2023. Virgil van Dijk handed Endo the captain's armband as the latter replaced the Dutchman in the second half. 'I think it was a great gesture. I think all Japanese people maybe wanted me to be captain,' Endo added. Liverpool begin their Premier League title defence with a home game against Bournemouth on Aug 15.

Malay Mail
4 days ago
- Malay Mail
Wirtz opens Liverpool account as Reds rally to beat Yokohama in Japan friendly
YOKOHAMA, July 31 — Florian Wirtz scored his first Liverpool goal as the Premier League champions beat Yokohama F. Marinos 3-1 in a pre-season friendly in Japan on Wednesday. French forward Hugo Ekitike made his debut for Liverpool, one week after joining from Eintracht Frankfurt for a reported £69 million (RM389 million). Wirtz equalised after Yokohama opened the scoring early in the second half, the German slamming home a right-foot shot from inside the box in front of over 65,000 fans. 'I am really happy that I could score my first goal. I hope there are more to come,' said Wirtz, who joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen in a blockbuster deal. Trey Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha also scored for Liverpool, who announced the sale of Colombian forward Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich on Wednesday. Liverpool manager Arne Slot said he was happy to see his team come from behind to win but was not pleased with their missed chances. 'It could be with a tough training camp and it could be with the heat circumstances,' said the Dutchman. 'But that's something that we definitely have to improve.' Goalkeeper Alisson Becker missed the match after travelling home to Brazil 'for private reasons', Liverpool said. Shortly before kickoff, an emotional tribute was given to Diogo Jota, who passed away this month in a car crash. Liverpool dominated throughout but Yokohama opened the scoring when Asahi Uenaka pounced in the 55th minute to beat Giorgi Mamardashvili. Wirtz levelled when he latched onto a Mohamed Salah pass. Nyoni volleyed home a Jeremie Frimpong cross to put Liverpool in front, before Ngumoha dribbled from the halfway line and fired in a shot from the edge of the box. — AFP