Eala makes fast start as weather and transport woes hit Asian Games

NAGOYA – Philippines tennis trailblazer Alexandra Eala was in devastating form at the Asian Games on Sept 28, as rain disrupted some events and Japanese organisers faced renewed accusations of mismanagement.

Eala launched her title charge with victory in just 55 minutes against the outclassed world No. 517 Patcharin Cheapchandej.

Eala, ranked 18 and favourite for gold in Nagoya, thrashed the Thai 6-1, 6-0.

Top seed Eala will face Chinese Taipei’s UK-born eighth seed Joanna Garland in the quarter-finals.

Eala, 21, in August became the first player from the Philippines to win a WTA Tour title.

Chinese Taipei boxer Lin Yu-ting, the Olympic champion who was thrust into a major gender row at Paris 2024, guaranteed herself at least a bronze medal.

Lin defeated North Korea’s Won Un Gyong in the women’s 60kg class in Nagoya to reach the semi-finals, as she chases a second Asian Games gold.

The 30-year-old told AFP ahead of the Games that she had considered retiring after the Paris Olympics but wanted to carry on fighting in part to defy those who questioned her eligibility.

Lin and Imane Khelif of Algeria were disqualified from the 2023 World Championships by the International Boxing Association (IBA) after the organisation said they failed unspecified gender eligibility tests.

However, the IOC allowed them to compete in Paris, saying they were victims of “a sudden and arbitrary decision” by the widely discredited IBA. Both went on to win gold.

China extended their dominance in diving, where they are unbeaten, as the country’s overall haul of golds swelled to 128 by evening of Sept 28.

Hosts Japan are a distant second in the medals table and South Korea third.

‘Rain has ruined everything’

India and Pakistan stayed on course to meet in the men’s cricket final after both quarter-finals were abandoned because of rain and a sodden outfield.

Pakistan went through first against Hong Kong without a ball being bowled under competition rules that say the highest-seeded side progresses.

A few hours later, with rain in the air, India progressed against Afghanistan with no prospect of play.

“We are here for the match but unfortunately it rained. The rain started yesterday, so hard luck for us. We would have been happy to play here with India – our players are in form,” said Afghanistan’s Mohammad Akram.

“We played two matches here on this ground, so we know the condition very well. But unfortunately the rain has ruined everything.”

Sri Lanka play Nepal and Bangladesh face Malaysia in the last two quarter-finals on Sepyt 29.

However, more rain is forecast.

Cricket was not the only sport to face disruption, with softball also hit with a delay because of the bad weather.

A session of the martial art kurash was also put back because of the bad weather, even though the event is indoors.

Organisers did not immediately reply to an AFP e-mail requesting more information.

‘Totally unfair’

Organisational chaos again dogged the Games when the official bus carrying the Pakistan men’s volleyball team went to the wrong venue.

Pakistan’s group game with Uzbekistan had to be pushed back 45 minutes.

“This is another mismanagement by Japan at the ongoing Asian Games,” Pakistan captain Murad Jehan said from the bus in an Instagram video.

“We have a very important game and the bus driver does not know in which gymnasium we are going to play,” he said in the clip with a caption reading, “Embarrassing situation at Japan Asian Games 2026. Totally unfair.”

He added: “We couldn’t expect this in Japan. There is a lot of mismanagement.”

It is more embarrassment for red-faced organisers of the Games, where there have been numerous complaints about the accommodation and transport services. AFP