Jeonbuk wins K-League championship for record 8th time
Seoul: Jeonbuk Motors made history on Sunday in South Korea by winning the K-League championship for a record eighth time with a 2-0 victory over Daegu FC. Two goals from Cho Gyu-sung also gave Jeonbuk the distinction of becoming the first club to win four consecutive titles in the league’s 38-year history. It was the second championship for coach Jose Morais, former assistant to Jose Mourinho at Porto, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Chelsea. “Last year we needed a little help to win but this year we had it in our control,” the Portuguese coach said. “We were always confident that we would become champions and that mindset helped us through.” Ulsan Horangi finished second for a record ninth time, three points behind with Pohang Steelers taking third to enter qualification for the 2021 AFC Champions League. On Saturday, Incheon United defeated FC Seoul 1-0 to climb out of the relegation places for the first time all season. It was an emotional game at Seoul’s World Cup Stadium with 5,500 fans present holding a minute’s silence for 31-year-old defender Kim Nam-chun, who died the previous day. Busan IPark lost 2-1 to Seongnam FC to drop below Incheon and into the second tier. (AP)
Cyprus Open: Sharma shoots 69 to stay in contention
Paphos (Cyprus): Indian golfer Shubhankar Sharma endured a tough day on the greens but managed to hang on for a gritty 2-under 69 in the third round that kept him in with a chance for a strong finish at the inaugural Aphrodite Hills Cyprus Open here. Starting the day at 9-under and in Tied-sixth place, Sharma ended at 11-under but T-12th. He is, however, only three behind leader Jamie Donaldson (69), who is 14-under. Five players are at 13-under, as 15 golfers are within four shots of the lead. Sharma parred his first nine holes before making back-to-back birdies, sparking hope of a fine back nine. However, putting continued to be an irritant and he also dropped a shot on 16th. On the 18th, he had a 15-18 footer for eagle after two great shots to the green, but did not make the eagle. He did manage a birdie for a closing 69. “A mixed bag, that’s what the round was,” said Sharma, who was also happy that he did not allow shots to slip away and was still in with a chance. (PTI)
Athlete tests positive at Karni Singh range but national camp to go on
New Delhi: An athlete training in the national capital’s Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range has tested positive for COVID-19, the Sports Authority of India said on Sunday but maintained that it will not hamper the ongoing national camp. Last month, SAI had approved a two-month long coaching camp for the Olympic core group shooters from October 15 to December 14. “An NCOE (National Centre of Excellence) athlete training at Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range in the 10 metre range has tested positive for the coronavirus. The athlete who last visited the range on October 28th in the second half of the day, intimated to his coach that his test result had come positive,” SAI said in a statement. “All NCOE athletes who were training at the time this shooter had last visited the range have been asked to go into 14 days quarantine and rejoin after a covid negative report. “The same process is to be followed by the support staff who came in contact with the shooter,” it added in the statement. SAI, though, did not name the athlete. The camp comprises 32 shooters (18 men and 14 women), 8 coaches, 3 foreign coaches and two support staff. All 15 Olympic quota winners are part of the camp, which is taking place at a total cost of Rs 1.43 crore. Prior to the national camp, the shooters had been practising at their home ranges amid the coronavirus pandemic. (PTI)