分类： sports

BORMIO, Italy — In the world of alpine skiing where nations like Switzerland and Norway dominate, Faiz Basha represents an extraordinary anomaly. As Singapore’s second Winter Olympian in history, the 23-year-old skier carries the flag for a tropical nation where temperatures rarely dip below 30°C (86°F).

Basha’s journey to the Milan Cortina Games began unexpectedly when his family relocated to Geneva during his father’s diplomatic service. Introduced to skiing by his mother who worked at a Swiss bank, Basha quickly developed a competitive passion for the slopes. “I didn’t like losing as a kid,” recalled Basha, whose full name is Faiz Basha Munwar Basha. “Whenever I had a bad race, I would be crying. But I kept improving.”

His path diverged dramatically from conventional ski racing development when he returned to Singapore to fulfill mandatory military service. With no mountains available, Basha innovatively trained on inline skates through slalom courses set up on local promenades. “Inline skates helped me develop a skiing-on-rails mindset,” Basha explained. “When I returned to snow after national service, I actually improved.”

The Olympian’s career nearly ended following a devastating super-G crash as a teenager that tore a hole in his intestine. The psychological aftermath proved particularly challenging. “My first training after the crash, I crashed three consecutive runs,” Basha remembered. “I told my mother I was done with skiing.”

During his recovery hiatus, Basha channeled his analytical mind into redesigning Singapore’s Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system map. His viral cartography project earned him an internship offer from the transportation department. Meanwhile, he pursued mechanical engineering studies at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow.

Basha joins a growing contingent of athletes from non-traditional winter sports nations making their mark at the Games. Eritrea’s Shannon Abeda, who finished 31.30 seconds behind giant slalom champion Lucas Pinheiro Braathen of Brazil, expressed similar pride in representation. “My friend asked me how much it took to get here, and I just started bawling,” Abeda shared.

Nathan Tchibozo of Benin, who finished 48th in giant slalom, echoed the sentiment: “This shows that everything is possible. You have to believe in your dreams.”

Though Basha recorded a DNF (did not finish) in his Olympic giant slalom debut after crashing, his perspective remains focused on broader objectives. “I know I’m still far from the top, but success means breaking new ground for Singapore,” Basha stated. “I’m content with what I’ve achieved in paving the way for future tropical climate athletes.”

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — The highly anticipated Twenty20 World Cup match between arch-rivals India and Pakistan commenced under a cloud of diplomatic strain, as team captains abstained from the traditional pre-match handshake ceremony on Sunday. Pakistan’s captain Salman Ali Agha won the toss and elected to field first in what marks the first encounter between these cricketing nations since last year’s contentious Asia Cup tournament in the United Arab Emirates.

The absence of ceremonial handshakes has become an unsettling pattern since Indian batsman Suryakumar Yadav initially refused the gesture during the Asia Cup, a practice subsequently mirrored in women’s and Under-19 world cup matches. This development occurs against a backdrop of speculation that the International Cricket Council (ICC) had mediated the conflict after Pakistan threatened to boycott the tournament earlier this month.

India fielded a full-strength lineup with the return of explosive opener Abhishek Sharma, who missed the previous match against Namibia due to stomach illness. The team strategy included deploying three specialist spin bowlers—including Kuldeep Yadav, who replaced seam bowler Arshdeep Singh—to adapt to the pitch conditions at R. Premadasa Stadium. Pakistan maintained an unchanged roster from their victory against the United States.

Meanwhile, tournament developments saw West Indies secure their third consecutive Group C victory with a dominant nine-wicket win over Nepal, qualifying for the Super 8 stage. Fast bowler Jason Holder claimed 4-27 to restrict Nepal to 133-8 before captain Shai Hope’s unbeaten 61 guided the Caribbean team to victory in 15.2 overs.

The United States kept their slim qualification hopes alive with a 31-run victory against Namibia in Chennai. Sanjay Krishnamurthi’s maiden T20 half-century (68 not out off 33 balls) and captain Monank Patel’s 52 powered the Americans to their tournament-high score of 199-4. Medium-pacer Shadley Van Schalkwyk took 2-30 to maintain his position as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 13 scalps.

Despite these developments, all eyes remained fixed on Colombo where the marquee match began at 7 p.m. local time. Pakistan’s captain Agha stated beforehand that the decision to shake hands rested with the Indian players, while Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav remained non-committal when questioned by reporters.

The match almost didn’t occur after Pakistan’s government considered withdrawing following the ICC’s expulsion of Bangladesh from the World Cup for refusing to play in India due to security concerns. Pakistan ultimately agreed to participate after intensive negotiations with the ICC, preserving what represents a major revenue generator for the international cricket body.

These tensions reflect deeper geopolitical conflicts that have prevented bilateral series between the nations for years. India hasn’t traveled to Pakistan since 2008, while Pakistan’s last visit to India was for the 2023 ODI World Cup. India maintains a dominant record against Pakistan in T20 matches, having won 12 of their 16 encounters and boasting a 6-1 record in T20 World Cup matches since the inaugural tournament in 2007.

In a spectacular display of cricketing prowess, South Africa secured a decisive seven-wicket triumph against New Zealand in the T20 World Cup Group D encounter on Saturday. The victory, masterminded by captain Aiden Markram’s explosive batting performance, positions South Africa favorably for advancement to the Super 8 stage with their third consecutive tournament win.

The match commenced with New Zealand winning the toss and opting to bat first at Ahmedabad’s iconic stadium. South Africa’s bowling attack, spearheaded by Marco Jansen’s exceptional four-wicket haul (4-40), immediately applied pressure on the Kiwi lineup. Jansen’s devastating spell dismantled New Zealand’s top order within the first seven overs, leaving them reeling at 58-3 despite Finn Allen’s brief counterattack of 31 runs from 17 deliveries.

A middle-order resurgence appeared imminent when Mark Chapman (48) and Daryl Mitchell (32) constructed a stabilizing 74-run partnership for the fifth wicket. However, Jansen’s return to the attack broke the threatening stand, with Chapman caught brilliantly by Ryan Rickelton at backward point. Despite James Neesham’s late flourish of 23 not out from 15 balls, New Zealand could only manage a competitive yet underwhelming total of 175-7 from their allotted 20 overs.

South Africa’s response transformed into a batting masterclass as Markram unleashed a devastating assault on New Zealand’s bowling attack. The Proteas captain rewrote the tournament record books by registering the highest individual score by a South African skipper in T20 World Cup history, hammering an unbeaten 86 from just 44 deliveries. His innings featured eight boundaries and four massive sixes, including a remarkable nineteen-ball half-century.

The chase commenced explosively with South Africa reaching 62-0 within the powerplay, the highest powerplay score of the tournament thus far. Even the dismissals of opening partner Quinton de Kock (20) and Rickelton (21) failed to disrupt Markram’s rhythm. With the required run rate plummeting below six, the captain demonstrated tactical maturity by shifting to strike rotation before David Miller’s unbeaten 24 concluded the match with 17 balls remaining.

Post-match, Markram emphasized the strategic approach: ‘It’s about managing the game through the right phases. Teams are aggressively targeting the powerplay, and we’d be remiss not to employ that strategy. While it doesn’t always succeed, when executed properly, it positions us advantageously early in the contest.’

South Africa will complete their group stage campaign against the UAE on Wednesday, while New Zealand faces Canada the previous day, with both matches carrying significant implications for Super 8 qualification.

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — The Australian SailGP team emerged victorious in the New Zealand leg of the international sailing championship, but the triumph was tempered by a severe collision between New Zealand and French vessels that left two competitors with serious injuries during Saturday’s races.

Helmsman Tom Slingsby piloted the Australian Flying Roos to first place in Sunday’s three-boat finale, securing the win against Spain and Britain. This outcome creates a tied overall series leadership between Australia and Britain, who had previously taken the opening event in Perth.

Race organizers implemented unprecedented safety measures for Sunday’s competition, dividing the fleet into two separate groups due to forecasted strong winds. This decision followed Saturday’s historic 13-boat participation—the largest field in SailGP history—where congested course conditions potentially contributed to the high-speed impact between national teams.

The collision occurred at approximately 90 km/h (56 mph), resulting in significant damage to both vessels. New Zealand crew member Louis Sinclair, responsible for operating the winches as a grinder, sustained compound fractures to both lower limbs. Meanwhile, French strategist Manon Audinet suffered abdominal trauma after being propelled forward with such force that she shattered the steering mechanism of the French craft.

Medical teams reported successful surgical intervention on Sinclair’s right leg, expressing optimism regarding his recovery trajectory. Both teams have released statements emphasizing their full support for the injured athletes during their rehabilitation processes.

SailGP authorities have committed to conducting a comprehensive investigation into the incident in collaboration with Team New Zealand. The organization faces additional challenges as both damaged teams race against time to repair their vessels before the next championship round in Sydney, scheduled within the forthcoming fortnight.

Sunday’s races proceeded under challenging meteorological conditions, with gusty winds preceding an approaching thunderstorm. Competitors recorded peak velocities nearing 102 km/h (63 mph) in the matching 50-foot catamarans throughout the final day of competition.