Digest

CURLING

China claims bronze to secure Olympics spot

China claimed the bronze medal at the World Women's Curling Championship with a 9-4 victory over host South Korea on Sunday, securing a berth for the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics.

After finishing fifth in the round-robin stage, with seven wins and five defeats, China staged a comeback win against Sweden on Saturday, reaching the semifinals for the first time in 14 years. However, a narrow loss to Switzerland set up a third-place clash against South Korea.

South Korea, the bronze medalist at the 2024 Women's Curling World Championship, had previously defeated China twice this year — once in the final of the Harbin Asian Winter Games in February and again during the round-robin stage of this championship.

The first five ends saw a tight contest, with the teams tied at 2-2.South Korea scored two points in the sixth end to take a 4-2 lead, but China responded immediately, entering the final end with a 6-4 advantage. In the 10th end, China executed its strategy flawlessly, using three stones in the house to block its opponent. South Korea's last attempt failed to clear the stones, allowing China to steal three points and seal a decisive victory.

The win not only secured China a spot at next year's Winter Olympics, but also marked its return to the World Championship podium after 14 years.

FITNESS

First Asian Taijiquan Day celebrated

The inaugural Asian Taijiquan Day was celebrated with a grand public performance in Beijing's Fengtai district on Friday. The event brought together 3,210 tai chi enthusiasts from Fengtai, Haidian and Shijingshan districts, who showcased the fundamental movements of tai chi in a synchronized and awe-inspiring display.

The highlight of the event was a special push-hands performance featuring 100 people led by professor Huang Kanghui, a Chinese martial arts master and eight-time national tai chi push-hands champion from Beijing Sport University. Then, over 300 enthusiasts, including more than 30 international participants, performed the elegant tai chi fan dance.

The event was organized by the Wushu Administrative Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, the Chinese Wushu Association, and the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports to mark the first Asian Taijiquan Day. The initiative aims to promote national fitness and the cultural heritage of tai chi.

The Asian Taijiquan Day was officially established on Oct 10, 2024, during the 54th executive committee meeting of the Asian Sport for All Association. The date, March 21, was chosen to celebrate the widespread influence and cultural significance of tai chi across Asia and beyond.

SOCCER

Juventus sacks Motta and appoints Tudor

Juventus has sacked manager Thiago Motta and appointed former club player Igor Tudor, the Serie A outfit said on Sunday, following two consecutive heavy defeats in a disappointing season, with the club fifth in the league standings.

Motta was appointed in June on a three-year contract after impressing last season, when he led Bologna to Champions League qualification. His arrival in Turin, though, failed to spark a revival at Juventus.

Juventus was beaten 3-0 at Fiorentina on March 16, on the back of an embarrassing 4-0 loss at home to Atalanta, and Motta's side dropped to fifth in the standings, 12 points behind leader Inter Milan.

"Juventus FC announces that it has relieved Thiago Motta of his position as coach of the men's first team," a club statement said.

"Juventus FC also announces that it has entrusted the leadership of the Men's First Team to Igor Tudor who will direct the first training session tomorrow."

Pochettino backs US to come good

Mauricio Pochettino called for patience on Sunday, after the United States slumped to a 2-1 defeat to Canada, insisting there was still time to turn things around ahead of next year's World Cup.

After an abject CONCACAF Nations League semifinal loss to Panama on Thursday, Pochettino had called on his team to show greater urgency and take more risks in Sunday's third-place game against Canada.

But, those pleas appeared to have fallen on deaf ears judging by another lackluster display from Pochettino's side, which failed to take a single shot — on or off target — in the opening half-hour at SoFi Stadium.

It marked another dispiriting performance from the 2026 World Cup co-host, which will return to the same venue on June 12 next year for its opening game of the marquee FIFA tournament.

Agencies