ASIAN GAMES: Taiwanese e-sports team claim bronze

MORE MEDALS: Taiwan’s men’s table tennis team added a bronze to the nation’s medal haul, while the women’s basketball team advanced to the semi-finals

Taiwan yesterday secured their first e-sports medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, claiming bronze in the Naraka: Bladepoint tournament after falling 0-3 to China in the semi-finals.

The Taiwanese squad, comprising Liu Tang-shiun, Chen Shang-yi, Cheng Hsu-yu, Yen Kai-en and Yeh Chih-yu, had already secured a place on the podium when they advanced to the final four as the runners-up in their preliminary group.

The bronze is first e-sports medal Taiwan has won at this year’s Asian Games.

From left, Taiwan’s Huang Hsiang-ting, and Kent Pastrana and Afril Bernardino of the Philippines leap for the ball during their women’s basketball quarter-final at the Asian Games at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, Japan, yesterday.

Photo: Reuters

Naraka: Bladepoint is a game in which the players fight each other to be the last one standing. The game incorporates martial arts-inspired melee combat.

TABLE TENNIS

The men’s table tennis team lost 3-0 to China in the semi-finals on Wednesday, settling for bronze for the fourth consecutive time at the Games.

Taiwan’s Chang Chun-sheng puts in a layup during their men’s 3x3 basketball game against Malaysia at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, yesterday.

Photo: AFP

The bronze was Taiwan’s first table tennis medal at this year’s Asiad.

Taiwan had already secured a place on the podium by reaching the semi-finals, but needed to beat China to advance to the gold medal match.

In the opening match, world No. 6 Lin Yun-ju pushed top-ranked Wang Chuqin to five games before losing 8-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8, 13-15.

Taiwan’s Lin Yun-ju competes in the quarter-finals of the men’s team table tennis against Iran at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, on Tuesday.

Photo: CNA

After dropping the first two games, Lin rallied to level the match. He led 7-4 in the deciding game, but Wang won six straight points to reach match point at 10-7.

Lin saved three match points and later earned one of his own at 13-12, only for Wang to win the next three points and give China a 1-0 lead in the team contest.

Feng Yi-hsin lost to former world No. 1 Lin Shidong 11-8, 11-6, 11-1.

Taiwan’s Liu Ji-hong watches the ball fly after a hit during their baseball game against Hong Kong at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of the Chinese Taipei Baseball Association via CNA

Seventeen-year-old Kuo Guan-hong won the opening game 14-12 against Wen Ruibo, but lost the next three 7-11, 8-11, 6-11 as China sealed the victory.

It was the fourth consecutive time that Taiwan’s men’s team won bronze at the Asian Games, beginning with the 2014 Asiad in Incheon, South Korea.

BASEBALL

Taiwan’s men’s baseball team on Wednesday advanced to the four-team super round after defeating Hong Kong 11-0 in a game shortened to seven innings under the mercy rule.

The victory gave Taiwan a 2-1 record and second place in Group B, securing a place in the placement round alongside Group B winners South Korea.

The two teams face Group A’s top two finishers, Japan and China, in the next round, which begins today, with medals at stake.

BASKETBALL

In the women’s quarter-finals at the Aichi International Arena yesterday, Taiwan defeated the Philippines 83-71 to earn a semi-final today against the winner of the Japan-Thailand game.

In 3x3 basketball yesterday at the Kinjo Futo Station Square Venue, Taiwan’s women’s team beat Mongolia 12-7 in the play-in round, but lost 21-14 against South Korea in the quarter-finals.

The men’s team beat Malaysia 21-14 in the play-ins, but lost 21-19 against the Philippines in the quarters and were eliminated.

TABLE TENNIS

In the women’s doubles at Sky Hall Toyota yesterday, Taiwan’s Yeh Yi-tian and Cheng I-ching defeated Pyon Song-gyong and Choe Jong-im of North Korea 3-1, while Chen Szu-yu and Wu Ying-syuan downed Leoung On Na and Kuan Cheok Lam of Macau by the same scoreline.

MEDALS

As of press time last night, Taiwan had 15 medals at this year’s Games, comprising one gold, three silvers and 11 bronzes. That put the team in 16th overall.