China’s gold hat-trick in women’s hockey

GUANGZHOU: China won their third successive gold medal in the Asian Games women’s field hockey after ousting South Korea in a penalty shoot-out, a 5-4 win after both teams were locked goalless at the end of extra-time.

Kim Eun-sil missed the first stroke for the Koreans, while the Chinese converted all their five shots and sealed the win when Sun Sinan beat goal-keeper Moon Young-hui.

Earlier, Japan took bronze with a 1-0 win as Keiko Manabe scored a golden goal in the 77th minute to make India return home empty-handed.

Uzbek wrestler Jakhongir Muminov became the second doping case of the Asian Games when he failed a drugs test and was disqualified. The 23-year-old student competed in the Greco-Roman 84-kilogramme division and lost in the quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, China’s Liu Xiang won a third successive Asian Games 110-metre hurdles crown. Xiang’s victory came in 13.09 seconds.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 25^th, 2010.