Former World Champion Silva upbeat in rematch with Pacio
Mar 18. 2021Alex “Little Rock” Silva of Brazil
Former ONE World Champion and current #5-ranked strawweight contender Alex “Little Rock” Silva of Brazil is looking to book himself a rematch against reigning ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio, should he get past his next opponent.
Silva takes on rising Japanese star Hiroba Minowa at ONE: FISTS OF FURY III, a previously recorded event from the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore scheduled for broadcast this Friday, 19 March.
Silva succumbed the world title to Pacio in January of 2020, losing by closely-contested split decision after five rounds of action. Although “Little Rock” believes he won that fight, he says he’s moved on and is focused now on earning his place back at the top.
“I believe I’m one of the top guys in the division. My last fight was against Joshua [Pacio], who is the champion. Again, I say I think I won that fight. It was a very close split decision,” said Silva.
“‘Don’t leave the decision in the judges’ hands.’ That’s the biggest lesson I learned from that fight. Because from my point of view, I’m sure I won that fight. However, I respect the decision. Next time, I just have to finish.”
If Silva can get past Minowa, he could certainly make a case. The 38-year-old veteran and Copa de Mundo BJJ World Champion is known as one of the most dangerous fighters at strawweight.
“I think I deserve one more [shot at the world title],” said Silva.
Against Minowa, however, Silva may have his hands full.
Minowa was last seen in October, snatching a split decision win of his own against Pacio’s Team Lakay teammate, Lito Adiwang.
In that fight, Minowa just barely escaped the jaws of defeat as he nearly succumbed to a deep kimura in the first round. Still, the Japanese fighter showcased tremendous grappling ability to turn the tables on Adiwang and eventually take home the victory on the scorecards.
Silva studied Minowa’s most recent performance and knows what to expect against the former Shooto Champion.
“I was quite surprised, because Lito is a strong guy in the division. But he (Minowa) controlled the fight and deserved to get the win. I’m excited for the chance to test my skills against him. I believe I’m the best grappler in the division, and have everything I need to finish him. I’m going to finish him in the second round,” said Silva.
“I think he’s a good and young fighter. I watched his last fight, and he showed good grappling. But grappling is where I feel right at home. In this particular fight, his strength will be his weakness, because his strength is in grappling, and grappling is where I feel comfortable.”
ONE: FISTS OF FURY III is the third and final installment in the “Fists of Fury” event series.
The headline bout features a showdown between ONE Lightweight Kickboxing World Champion Regian Eersel and hard-hitting #2-ranked contender Mustapha Haida, while ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Champion Janet “JT” Todd begins her quest for a second belt by taking on the #4-ranked Alma Juniku in Muay Thai in the co-main event.
The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition rolls out carpet in Singapore
Mar 18. 2021
ONE Championship rolled out the red carpet for the stars of “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” at The Glasshouse at Andaz Singapore yesterday
In attendance were ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong, ONE Championship Senior VP of Corporate Development and Strategy Niharika Singh, and Executive Producer of Refinery Media Karen Seah, as well as candidates Alvin Ang, Irina Chadsey, Joy Koh, Monica Millington, Jessica Ramella, Nazee Sajedi, and Roman Wilson.
Special guests in attendance included ONE Championship Group President Hua Fung Teh, Catcha Group Co-Founder and Group CEO Patrick Grove, and ONE atomweight star Ritu Phogat, among others.
“The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” will premiere tonight on AXN, the show’s official Asia broadcast partner, with additional free-to-air broadcasts across the continent to follow.
Attendees walked onto the red carpet in BOSS attire, primed for an epic night featuring an exclusive screening of the first episode, Q&A panels with the cast, and more.
About “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition”
“The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” invites 16 candidates handpicked from around the world to compete in a high-stakes competition involving business and physical challenges. The winner will receive a US$250,000 job offer to work directly under ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong for a year as his protege in Singapore.
Special guest CEOs confirmed to join “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” include Zoom CEO Eric Yuan, Grab CEO Anthony Tan, Zilingo CEO Ankiti Bose, Catcha Group Co-Founder and Group CEO Patrick Grove, and Everise CEO Sudhir Agarwal, among others.
Athletes confirmed to make appearances on the show include martial arts legends Georges St-Pierre and Renzo Gracie, former ONE Welterweight World Champion Ben Askren, ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon Vera, ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion Angela Lee, ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix Champion Demetrious Johnson, Indian Wrestling Champion Ritu Phogat, Karate World Champion Sage Northcutt, and ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion Xiong Jing Nan.
“The Apprentice” is one of the biggest non-scripted reality television programs in history, judging the business skills of candidates who are competing for a job offer under a high-profile CEO. It has aired in more than 120 countries. The first season of “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” consists of 13 episodes.
Korea’s Im ready for successful defence at The Honda Classic
Mar 18. 2021Korea’s Sungjae Im (Photo credit to Getty Images)
Korea’s Sungjae Im enjoys the carnage that comes with the PGA TOUR’s annual Florida Swing. Even with treacherous hazards and firm greens abound, the Korean star still manages to feel right at home.
As his PGA TOUR colleagues struggled a week ago to contain the famed island green at THE PLAYERS Championship, the 22-year-old from Jeju Island quietly went about his business. A total of 66 balls found the water at the marquee par-3 across four days at TPC Sawgrass, including a tournament-high 35 on Thursday. But Im largely controlled the hole, carding birdies on Thursday and Friday to go along with a par in Sunday’s final round. He found the water just once there, on Saturday, leading to a double bogey.
“I personally like the challenges on the PGA TOUR, especially for the Florida Swing,” Im said Tuesday. “The greens are firm. There’s a lot of water. I know all the players will be struggling, including myself, but I try to have fun playing through the challenges. I tend to play well overall when the courses are more challenging.”
That includes this week at The Honda Classic at PGA National, one of the more difficult courses each season on Tour. A year ago, Im posted a 6-under total score to card his first career PGA TOUR victory, a one-shot triumph over Mackenzie Hughes and Tommy Fleetwood. His 4-under 66 on Sunday helped him match the second-highest winning score since the event moved to PGA National in 2007.
“I absolutely agree with all the people saying this is one of the toughest courses,” he said. “It tends to get really windy here, and even without winds the greens are always firm, and off the tee box there’s so much water everywhere that it just gives a lot of pressure before you hit every shot.”
That includes the sinister three-hole stretch that begins with the par-3 15th, infamously dubbed “The Bear Trap” in honour of Jack Nicklaus. Ranked as one of the toughest stretches on Tour, the trio of holes has seen more than 1,500 balls find the water since 2007, and 78 percent of the field since that time has hit at least one ball in the water.
As for Im, he played the critical stretch in 2-under in 2020, which proved to be the difference as he pulled away in time for his first TOUR victory.
“One thing I remember from last year after winning the tournament is I went back to my hotel room and I just really couldn’t not believe what just happened,” Im recalled. “So that memory in itself is the best memorable moment from last year. And as far as the coming into this week, again, I just want to stay consistent with my game and hopefully I can play well and defend the title.”
The preparation won’t be much different this time around for the Korean wunderkind, despite the expectations that come with being a defending champion. Kim has been a steadying presence this year, making the cut in all but one event thus far. That consistency has led to eight top-25 finishes, including a tie for second at the November Masters Tournament and a tie for fifth at the Sentry Tournament of Champions.
Despite that strong start—he enters the week at No. 19 in the FedExCup standings—Im remains hungry for more.
“During the off time and coming back for the resumption, to my standard I think I played mediocre,” Im said. “But my condition is slowly coming back up and I’m finding my game, and it’s great to be back here at The Honda Classic as a defending champion. I hope I play well this week.”
Im’s dissatisfaction largely stems from his recent inability to put together four consistent rounds of play. Last week, a third-round 77 kept him out of Sunday contention as Justin Thomas rolled toward the win. “I would say I’ve played really consistently overall, but I’ve had a few rounds here and there where I had some hiccups,” he said. “Following up with a good round is always tough, but I think for the rest of the season I want to stay composed and maybe play a little comfortably mentally so that I can finish strong every week.”
Looking back at the third round at THE PLAYERS, Im said he played “overly aggressive” with himself, option too often to attack instead of staying composed and playing the smart shot. “So from that experience moving forward,” he said, “I want to just focus on my game every round, every shot, and try to stay composed, not be too aggressive when I don’t have to.”
What better place to do that than at The Honda Classic, where he’s already made so many wonderful memories?
“I want to defend my title,” Im said. “I want to play consistently all four rounds so I can finish strong. That’s my goal.”
Adam Scott, who was Im’s teammate in the 2019 Presidents Cup, is amongst the growing number of players impressed by the Korean’s rapid rise in the game. The Australian star recalled a practice session on a windy day at Royal Melbourne which led to Im earning one of his many nicknames of “Iron Byron”, likening his ball striking skills to the legendary Byron Nelson.
“What I do recall was maybe it was the Monday, but it was incredibly windy out there. I mean, so windy that I certainly didn’t even think about touching any of the holes because I didn’t want to destroy my confidence. Sungjae I think was the only guy who went out there to play, so we ended up walking out and watching him play a few holes, and that’s where this whole thing came along because even in a 25 miles an hour wind at Royal Melbourne he was just fairway, green, fairway, green, and it was, it was a bit like Iron Byron, like a machine,” said Scott.
“It’s (Im’s swing) incredibly repetitive. He has a very distinct rhythm of his swing, and I think like everyone, but certainly more for him, when he is feeling his rhythm, it’s incredibly repetitive, and it doesn’t matter the conditions. He knows he can just point and shoot and get the result. I know speaking to his caddie, it’s hard for his caddie to talk him into hitting it away from a pin ever because he’s just — he thinks he can just pin-seek it all day. He’s obviously got a lot of confidence, and we’ve seen that in his consistent play the last couple of years now.”
Five Thai stars ready to light up Bt1m Phoenix Classic
Mar 17. 2021
By THE NATION
Teen prodigy Atthaya Thitikul will lead an elite field when the inaugural tournament of the newly established Thai Women’s Professional Golf Association tees off at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club Pattaya on March 26-28.
The two-time Ladies European Tour victor will be joined by rising Thai stars Pannarat Thanapolboonyaras, Kanyalak Preedasuttijit, Arpichaya Yubol and Chonlada Chayanun at the Bt1-million Phoenix Ladies Classic.
The opening event of the Thai WPGA features a total of 136 professionals and amateurs competing over 54 holes. After two rounds, the top 60 players will advance to the final showdown.
Atthaya, 18, is returning to the Phoenix Gold course where she made headlines in 2017 by lifting the LET Thailand Championship to become the youngest winner on the LET at only 14 years, four months and 19 days. She then won her second LET Thailand Championship crown at this course two years ago.
“My fellow players and I are looking forward to tournaments [this year]. A tournament by a new association will surely bring a new dimension for us to experience,” said Atthaya from Ratchaburi province.
“I need tournaments to test my game after working really hard in the off season. I’m trying to get momentum, especially for my short game,” added the young star, who competed against the men in the All Thailand Tour mixed tournament last month.
Asked about the Thai WPGA’s bid to organise a local tour that offers world rankings, Atthaya said: “It will be a great opportunity for Thai players as we’ve never had a world-ranking local tour before. It will surely bring Thai women’s golf to another level.”
“I’m always excited to come back to this course as I have great memories here. I could not ask for a better way to prepare for the LET [as a pro] in May than to play a warm-up event at the Phoenix Gold,” she added.
Home player Kanyalak, the second Thai to win the LET Thailand Championship in 2018, is thrilled to play at her backyard course, where she clinched her biggest career victory to date.
“I can’t wait to come back and play this course. I have been working harder, having more rounds of golf after a three-month break. I haven’t changed anything much except my game plan and mindset,” said the Chonburi-based player, who plans to compete on the Korean LPGA Tour later this year.
Of the WPGA tour’s plan to feature world rankings, she said: “This is such great news as we don’t have to travel and compete abroad in order to gain world ranking points.”
Pannarat, an LPGA Tour pro from Roi-Et, said: “It’s great that the Thai WPGA is organising events for us to sharpen our skills. I will need to tune myself up before I return to the LPGA Tour in the US.”
Arpichaya, from Saraburi, said: “It’s always nice to have a new tour which provides another opportunity to catch up and play with fellow competitors. They will be well prepared for this tournament. As for me, I’ve always practising even when there are no tournaments. My goal is to stick to my game plan and enjoy golf out there.”
“As for the world ranking points [on offer], I believe this will motivate players to try even harder. This is a new path for us to climb up the rankings,” said Arpichaya, 18, who beat the men to the Thailand Mixed title in Hua Hin last month.
“It’s always tough to play at the Phoenix Gold due to the green condition and the winds. You need to have a good game plan if you want to play aggressive. You also have to be in a good frame of mind,” she added.
Chonlada from Nakhon Ratchasima said: “I always want to come back to the Phoenix Gold, which is a place I’m quite familiar with. I played well here in 2018. I’m now fixing some weak points [in my game] and playing 3-4 rounds of golf a week in order to gain my momentum.
“Thai players will benefit a lot from this, especially as it will pave the way to the LPGA Q-School. We all want to have world ranking [points].”
Kiradech eyes big chance at Florida’s $7m Honda Classic
Mar 17. 2021Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Credit to Getty Images)
Thailand’s No 1 Kiradech Aphibarnrat will tee up his third PGA Tour event of the year on Thursday at Florida’s Honda Classic, after gaining entry at the expense of Doc Redman, who tested positive for Covid-19.
Kiradech, a former Asian No 1, featured in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and Puerto Rico Open last month but missed the cut by a single stroke on both occasions.
The grip it-and-rip it Thai star is currently 176th on the PGA Tour’s FedExCup rankings and he will be eager to make quick improvements with a good showing at PGA National (Champions) in Palm Beach Gardens after his last-minute entry.
He faces a daunting task at PGA National, famed for its “Bear Trap” which consists of holes 15, 16 and 17 and ranks as the Tour’s third-toughest stretch. The Bear Trap has accounted for 36 per cent of the balls in the water at PGA National (1,515), 37 per cent of the triple bogeys or worse (172) and just 12 per cent of the birdies or better (2,026).
In three previous appearances in the US$7-million tournament, which will see South Korea’s Sungjae Im defending his title, Kiradech missed two cuts and finished 68th in 2018. In eight rounds there, he has yet to break par on the demanding Tom Fazio-designed par-70 golf course.
His form has taken a dip in recent times following a fall during the 2019 Masters Tournament which saw him tear ligaments in his left knee. The last time he enjoyed a top-10 on the PGA Tour was at The CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges in South Korea back in October 2019. He currently ranks 318th in the official world golf ranking, a contrast from his 2018 heyday when he regularly featured in the top 30.
On social media, Kiradech recently posted a video of himself practising in Orlando with the message “Keep working until I get my form back”, later posting “Work, work and work” – which he knows is the only way to get his game back into stride.
“I don’t want to make any goals as I want to get back to playing regularly again. I want to find the confidence and form and make sure I’m swinging the golf club good enough,” Kiradech, 31, said earlier this year.
Other Asian stars in the Honda field include India’s Anirban Lahiri, who will be making his fifth appearance in the event, South Korea’s Byeong Hun-an, Taiwan’s CT Pan and Xinjun Zhang of China. All four players will be looking to bounce back from missing the halfway cut at last weeks’ PGA Tour flagship tournament, The Players Championship, which American star Justin Thomas won by a single stroke. Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa and Satoshi Kodaira will also chase glory this week.
Lahiri finished 11th at PGA National in 2017 and will be hoping to use his familiarity with the golf course to good effect as he attempts to regain his consistency. South Korea’s An, who suffered the misfortune of sending four balls into the water on the island green par-3 17th hole last week, has performed well at the Honda Classic over the last few editions, finishing 4th in 2020 and 5th in 2018. Aside from Im, who triumphed here for his first PGA Tour title in 2020, another Korean, YE Yang, was victorious at PGA National in 2009, the year he also became Asia’s first major champion following his historic win at the PGA Championship.
Kim ties career low score at TPC Sawgrass to give himself hope at THE PLAYERS Championship
Mar 14. 2021Si Woo Kim (Photo credit to Credit Getty Images)
Si Woo Kim matched his career low score at The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass with a third round 5-under 67 to put himself on the fringe of contention at THE PLAYERS Championship on Saturday.
Kim, who became the youngest PLAYERS winner in 2017 at the age of 21, will enter the final round in tied 11th position and six back of veteran Englishman Lee Westwood, who carded a bogey-free 68 for a two-shot lead over Bryson DeChambeau in the PGA TOUR’s flagship tournament. Westwood leads on 13-under 203.
It wasn’t a day to remember for Sungjae Im, who started the round in tied fifth place and three off the pace as he carded a disastrous 77 to tumble down the leaderboard into tied 48th position while another Korean, K.H. Lee shot a 71 for T36.
The 24-year-old Kim hit only five fairways but his iron play was near flawless as he birdied all four par-5s at the Stadium Course. After sinking a 13-foot birdie on the 12th hole, he stormed home in style. On the 16th, the last of the par 5s on the Pete Dye-designed masterpiece, Kim drained his birdie putt from 29 feet and at the famous island green par-3 17th hole, he rolled in a tantalizing 36-foot curler for his first birdie on the signature hole this week.
“It was one of the best rounds I’ve played recently. I was quite solid and my short game is getting better and better, which helped me to save par and keep my game going. On the back nine, I had good momentum, and if can keep this momentum tomorrow, I can compete for a win,” said Kim, who ranks top 10 in Strokes Gained: Approach the Green and Putting after three rounds.
Today’s effort was his best showing since winning The American Express in January for his third PGA TOUR victory. He missed three cuts, finished T50 and withdrew after an opening 80 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week after his back tightened up. Hence, he was thrilled with his strong finish, especially with his heroics on 17.
“I just tried to land my ball on green, and not too close to the (front) pin and it passed the hole. I saw the others (putt) pass the hole, so I just tried to have soft touch and hit the ball very gently, and it went into the hole,” said Kim.
“I think conditions are very similar to those when I won here. As I prefer to play on firmer and harder conditions, that would be good for me. If there is more wind tomorrow, it would be good.”
Westwood will reprise his final round shootout against DeChambeau from a week ago which ended with the powerful American winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard last Sunday. He was only one of two players to enjoy a bogey-free card on Saturday as he seeks his third PGA TOUR victory.
He made nine straight pars and then birdied Hole Nos. 10, 12, 16 and 17. “I was playing well all day and trying to be patient and wait for the good things to happen. I missed a few for different reasons and then one went in on 10, so that was kind of the impetus to kick on around the back nine,” said Westwood.
“Obviously 16 is a hole you look at and you think, this is a birdie chance, but 17 to that front flag, especially when it’s stuck at the top of the hill, you’re just trying to run it down there somewhere dead, so it’s a real bonus that it rolled in, and a great moment,” said Westwood, who has played 44 consecutive holes without a bogey.
Third-Round Notes – Saturday, March 13, 2021
Weather: Mostly Sunny. High of 75. Wind E 6-12 mph.
The Australian remains fastest overall after Day 5 sees conditions worsen in the desert… but the top three are covered by less than a tenth
And just like that, 2021 pre-season testing for the MotoGP™ riders and teams is over. Five largely hectic days at Losail International Circuit see Jack Miller and Ducati Lenovo Team head into Round 1 as the combination to beat, with Miller’s 1:53.183 taking the honour of the fastest ever two-wheel lap in Qatar. The Bologna factory are chased by a trio of Yamahas who are all within a tenth and a half, as Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), teammate Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) enjoy a successful pre-season to complete the top four.
Unfortunately, the final day of the Qatar Test flattered to deceive. High winds caused dust to scatter across the track, which in turn meant barely anyone ventured out. With just over two hours of the first and only pre-season test remaining, Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) and Danilo Petrucci (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) were the only two riders to have set a lap time, but eight seconds slower than Miller. The red flags then came out as cleaning machines ventured out to try and improve the conditions, but the majority of the work was already done and dusted for the teams and it was an early pack up.
Nevertheless, we’ve seen plenty of laps laid down across the other four days of Official Test action, as well as the Shakedown for test riders and rookies last Friday. So where are we ahead of Round 1?
In the hands of a charismatic Australian, Ducati will head into the first Grand Prix as the fastest. Miller’s blistering time attack lap on Wednesday evening was proof that he and the new GP21 are looking like a formidable partnership this season, with the innovation kings of MotoGP™ – of course – bringing plenty of new parts to test in Qatar. The most notable was some new front aero, a significant change and something we’ve not seen before. Elsewhere, the famous ‘salad box’ is a different shape on the new bikes, and another big change we’ve seen in 2021 is the front holeshot device that most of the factories have now got. Ducati, along with Aprilia, Honda, KTM and Suzuki have been seen launching off the line with the bike squatted at the front as well as the rear.
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) ends testing inside the top five behind his factory teammate and the trio of Yamahas, and sounded very positive about his work at Losail. Pecco was visibly pleased with the race pace work he had done throughout and when he pushed for a qualifying-esque time, he wasn’t far away at all – 0.261s to be exact.
Thanks to Johann Zarco’s (Pramac Racing) 1:53.899, Ducati have all their non-rookie riders inside the top 10 ahead of Round 1. Consistently the quickest rider through the speed trap – Thursday seeing him reach a new unofficial record of 357.69km/h down the start/finish straight – Zarco was another rider who seemed happy with his performance overall. The Frenchman commented on Thursday that he had worked a lot on race pace and had plenty of things to try, not all of which were good, but that they got through a lot.
Zarco’s Pramac Racing teammate Jorge Martin ended the Qatar Test as the fastest rookie. The Spaniard sits P14 thanks to his 1:54.483, an incredibly respectable time from the Moto2™ graduate who is just 1.3s away from Miller’s all-time – unofficial – lap record. Reigning Moto2™ World Champion Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama Racing) finished just 0.022s behind Martin in P15, with Luca Marini (Sky VR46 Avintia) claiming P21 – 1.839s shy of Miller.
For the Ducati trio, the week in Qatar has been largely positive with lots of laps completed by all: Martin clocked 159 in the Official Test, Bastianini 178 and Marini 204. All will have been a learning curve as the trio now head back to Europe, do some homework and get set for their MotoGP™ Grand Prix weekend debuts.
Factory Team Manager Davide Tardozzi rated Ducati’s Qatar Test as a 9/10, the Italian was pleased with every aspect: speed, attitude, and morale of the team. Confidence is brimming in the red camp but one thing that must be said is that traditionally, Losail is a great circuit for Ducati…
At Yamaha, the marque once again proved that their one-lap pace is meteoric. The aforementioned Viñales, Quartararo and Morbidelli all pushed for a fast lap time when they set their best times of the test, and even though they lost out to Miller, things are still looking good for Yamaha in that department. However, it’s race pace and lots of other intricate details that all four of their full-time riders have been working on most in Qatar.
On Wednesday, Yamaha rolled out a new aero fairing and new mudguard. Top speed is still a slight weakness, and these updates seem aimed at reducing the gap to the likes of Ducati and Honda. Moreover, the Yamaha riders have been testing a new chassis and the signs have been positive. It looks like the decision has been made to use it this season.
Second fastest Viñales was seen working hard on his practice starts. On Wednesday and Thursday, pitlane reporter Simon Crafar reported that the number 12 must have been into double figures with the number of times he’d come to the end of pitlane, sink the rear of his Yamaha and launch himself down into Turn 1. It’s a point that Viñales has been focusing on in pre-season testing, as well as the opening handful of laps. We’ll see if his hard work will come to fruition in due course…
New factory recruit Quartararo said it took him a good 30-40 laps to get reacquainted with his YZR-M1 monster on Saturday, but once the Frenchman had regained his confidence at the controls, all seemed to go well. The 2019 Rookie of the Year said he felt comfortable on the new chassis and had tried “many things”, much like teammate Viñales, with race pace looking fantastic for all the Yamahas. Team Manager Massimo Meregalli said both of his riders are feeling very confident, with parts like the chassis and aero body approved by both.
Morbidelli and Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) join their factory counterparts in looking good in race trim. Rossi, judging from the timesheets, was the only rider out of the quartet who didn’t look at slamming in a time attack, but The Doctor is sounding in very good spirits heading into his 26th Grand Prix season. The nine-time World Champion ends pre-season testing 11th overall, with his 1:53.993 proving his best-ever lap at Losail.
Sixth on the combined timesheets was Aprilia Racing Team Gresini’s Aleix Espargaro. As has been heavily reported, their 2021 RS-GP is almost completely new: the engine, chassis, two aero designs, exhausts and ‘salad box’ have changed, and Aprilia also have their first carbon swingarm – which means Suzuki are the only manufacturer that doesn’t have this feature. In addition, the aforementioned front holeshot device was being used to great effect by the Spaniard. A 1:53.640 best time was enough to get Espargaro within half a second of Miller, very promising signs indeed.
Massimo Rivola, Aprilia Racing CEO, gave their pre-season a 7/10 rating. Understandably, the factory are trying to keep their feet on the ground after a promising 2020 season didn’t materialise into results in the season proper, but he was pleased with the progress shown in Qatar. Rookie Lorenzo Savadori ended the test in P26, 2.571s away, but the Italian has been nursing a shoulder injury throughout.
Meanwhile, it’s fair to say that World Champions Team Suzuki Ecstar have gone under the radar somewhat at the beginning of 2021. Reigning MotoGP™ World Champion Joan Mir finished P7 overall, one place and 0.033s ahead of teammate Alex Rins. A new chassis and a new swingarm have been used in Qatar as well as all the other little bits that all riders and teams play with, and Suzuki also get a head start on next season with Mir, Rins and test rider Sylvain Guintoli giving a 2022 engine a run…
Mir has admitted that both Ducati and Yamaha look better on overall pace as it stands, but the GSX-RR duo aren’t far away at all. Losail International Circuit isn’t one that naturally goes hand in hand with Suzuki, but the riders are feeling good and have made improvements from last year’s bike – a worry for the other teams. In Mir’s own words: “We are competitive, we are not slow, and it’s only testing.”
Next, we come to Honda. It was a somewhat mixed Qatar Test for the Japanese giants, but the main and overriding positive is the efforts of Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team). The Spaniard set the exact same time as ninth place Zarco to finish just inside the top 10, but the outright lap time shouldn’t be the main thing to look at – and that goes for all riders. Espargaro’s adaptation from KTM to Honda has been seamless; the number 44 impressing just about everybody in the paddock with his performance so far. Closing out the test, Pol Espargaro described his debut as a “pain release” from a winter full of anticipation.
Tech-wise, Honda brought three different chassis to Qatar: one ‘standard 2020’, one with carbon bonded onto the frame and a completely new one. Some new aero was testing by Stefan Bradl (Honda Test Team) and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) in the opening exchanges of the test, and we’ll wait and see if HRC bring it to the opening race weekend.
Nakagami was the second best Honda rider on the overall timesheets in P12, just ahead of Bradl in P13. Both of these riders suffered more than one crash, and a Turn 2 tumble on Wednesday saw Bradl sit out the afternoon session. Honda saw their riders hit the deck 10 times in total – more than any other factory. Unfortunately for Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol), a big highside at Turn 9 on Thursday evening resulted in a small right foot metatarsal fracture, but the two-time World Champion should be fit to ride at the Qatar Grand Prix.
Repsol Honda Team Manager Alberto Puig didn’t want to give much away about his feelings regarding the Qatar Test, but he was very pleased with how “smooth” his new rider has adapted. One huge talking point over the next 14 days will also be whether Marc Marquez will be on the bike in Qatar after his latest check-up went very well. Are the signs there for the eight-time World Champion to link up with impressive teammate Espargaro and the rest of the Honda camp in the near future?
After an outstanding 2020 season, KTM haven’t hit the ground running in 2021 on the timesheets as yet, but it is testing. Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was the fastest RC16 rider and the double 2020 race winner was P16, 1.343s away from the time set by Miller. Teammate Brad Binder finishes 0.165s behind Oliveira on the timesheets in P17, but the Austrian factory have little data in Qatar: no race here last year with their new and improved package has seemingly hampered them and Losail isn’t KTM’s strongest layout.
They did bring plenty of new items to test though. Simon Crafar called them the “winners on the hardware front” and the most notable changes from the naked eye was the slimmer new front fairing that – seemingly – has a few more ‘shark teeth’ carved in. As well as this, test rider Dani Pedrosa was the first seen sporting KTM’s new seat unit.
Oliveira didn’t seem downbeat at the end of the test as the Portuguese star said there have been positive things to take and there are no specific worries at this stage. The number 88 did point out that KTM are struggling to exploit the maximum from the package at the minute, but it’s the timesheets don’t tell the story.
Danilo Petrucci, meanwhile, has completed his first test on a KTM machine and the Italian is pleased with the progress he’s made over the four proper days on track, with some clear ideas of what is needed to improve on his 1:54.895 best. Teammate Iker Lecuona says he has learned a lot and has improved a lot too, but also recognises that there is work to do to close down the faster guys.
So just like that, MotoGP™ 2021 pre-season testing is over. Next up: the Barwa Grand Prix of Qatar. In two weeks’ time the premier class warriors will be back on track at Losail, but it will be during a race weekend. Before that, the Moto2™ and Moto3™ riders will be taking part in a three-day Official Qatar Test, so make sure you keep up to date with that and all the reaction from the MotoGP™ Test on motogp.com!
Korea’s Im enjoys birdie spree to surge into contention at THE PLAYERS Championship
Mar 13. 2021Sungjae Im (Credit to Getty Images)
Ten years after watching one of his golf idols K.J. Choi make history at THE PLAYERS Championship, Korea’s Sungjae Im put himself in prime position to emulate the feat in the PGA TOUR’s flagship tournament.
As a 13-year-old, Im watched replays of Choi’s momentous triumph in 2011 at The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, which helped sparked his American dream. On Friday, Im charged into contention with a solid 6-under 66 in the second round, highlighted by a career-first six consecutive birdies.
He trails leader Lee Westwood by three strokes in tied fifth place after the veteran Englishman also carded a fine 66 for a 9-under 135 two-day total. He leads the US$15 million showpiece by a single shot from countryman Matt Fitzpatrick.
Im, who started his day from the 10th, was flawless early on with a birdie on 11. A nine-foot conversion on 15 sparked his six-hole birdie run which included putts of 18 feet, 16 feet and nine feet on Nos. 17, 18 and 1, respectively. The Korean talent wobbled briefly with bogeys on the fifth and seventh after finding greenside bunkers, but bounced back with a closing birdie on the par-5 ninth hole.
“I felt pretty good with the shots on the driving range, so I think that helped me to feel comfortable and I was able to make the birdies in a row,” said Im, who arrived at THE PLAYERS in solid form following one top five and three top 25s this year.
“I’ve been playing OK, but I would make silly mistakes, so I really had to grip down and find a hungry mind to play better, and I really focused on making more birdies. I think that really helped me today.”
Choi, now 50, blazed a trail for Korean and Asian golf by becoming the first golfer from his country to get onto the PGA TOUR in 2000 and subsequently won eight PGA TOUR victories, highlighted by his PLAYERS triumph, which made him the first Asian winner of the prestigious event which assembles the strongest field in golf annually.
His success paved the way for other aspiring Koreans to join him in the U.S., which has subsequently seen the rise of Im and Si Woo Kim, who won THE PLAYERS in 2017 as a 21-year-old. Kim shot a second round 70 for T22 position on 2-under.
“I didn’t get to watch K.J. win live but I did watch it on the reruns,” said Im, who is currently ranked 19th on the FedExCup points list. “When K.J. won, I was pretty young, so I did not think too much about it. It was just only my dream to end up on the PGA TOUR, and now I’m here. It’s amazing.”
Im, winner of The Honda Classic last season, missed the halfway cut with rounds of 73 and 71 in his debut two years ago, which still featured a hole-in-one on the par-3 13th hole. He opened with a 69 last year before the tournament was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Saying that THE PLAYERS is equally important as a major championship before the tournament, Im is keen to become the third Korean winner of the event but knows it will be a challenge with the world’s best gathered at TPC Sawgrass. “The first two rounds, the wind wasn’t that strong, so I’m curious to find out how windy it’ll get in the third and the fourth round. I’ll have to be very smart with my course management,” said Im.
Another Korean, K.H. Lee made four birdies, one double bogey and one bogey for a 71 for T37 position but the other Asians will have an abbreviated week at TPC Sawgrass. Hideki Matsuyama of Japan carded a 69 for a 145 total to sit one outside the projected halfway cut mark, while Anirban Lahiri of India shot a 72 for 150. Debutant Xinjun Zhang of China shot a second successive 76 to lie on 152 alongside Chinese Taipei’s C.T. Pan who returned a 74. Korea’s Sung Kang (81) and Byeong Hun An (79) will also miss the weekend play. The halfway cut is currently at even par 144 with eight players to complete their rounds on Friday morning.
PARTIAL Second-Round Notes – Friday, March 12, 2021
Weather: Mostly Sunny. High of 73. Wind E 8-12 mph. The second round was suspended due to darkness at 6:36 p.m. ET with eight players left on the course and will resume at 7 a.m. ET Saturday. Third-round tee times will run off the No. 1 tee in twosomes, approximately 7:55 a.m. ET to 2 p.m. ET.
Amid criticism for human rights abuses, China offers vaccines for all Olympic athletes
Mar 12. 2021Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee
By The Washington Post · Rick Maese
China has offered to provide coronavirus vaccines for Olympic athletes competing at the Tokyo Games this summer and next winter’s Beijing Games.
Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, made the announcement Thursday during the organization’s virtual meeting, praising China’s offer, “which is in the true Olympic spirit of solidarity.”
“These initiatives are another milestone in securing the safety of the Olympic and Paralympic Games,” Bach told IOC members in a virtual meeting. “They are our demonstration of solidarity with the Japanese people for whom we have such high respect and whom we hold in such high regard.”
While China has offered to made the vaccines available, Bach said the IOC would pick up the associated costs to inoculate Olympic and Paralympic athletes bound for Tokyo and Beijing, and also would pay for two more doses, “which can be made available for the population in the respective country according to their needs.”
The offer comes amid heavy criticism aimed at China and the IOC over human rights abuses and the treatment of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang province. The U.S. government has said China’s repression of its Muslim minority constitutes “genocide.” Some political leaders have called for the Beijing Games, scheduled to begin in February, to be relocated, and some human rights organizations have urged a boycott.
The IOC has been careful not to criticize its 2022 Olympic host, and Thursday’s announcement could amount to a global olive branch of sorts. China, relying largely on vaccines developed by Sinovac and Sinopharm, has pledged about a half-billion doses to more than 45 countries, according to the Associated Press. The coronavirus began circulating more than a year ago in the Chinese city of Wuhan, escalating into a global pandemic that upended life across the world and caused the postponement of the 2020 Summer Games.
Olympic organizers have said that athletes will not be required to be vaccinated to participate in the Tokyo Games but have been encouraging all athletes to pursue vaccination, if available.
The situation is fraught for many Olympic governing bodies. Some have started vaccinating their Tokyo-bound athletes, but those that operate independent of their national government, such as the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, don’t necessarily have early access to vaccines and don’t want to appear that they’re jumping ahead of other citizens with more pressing needs.
Sarah Hirshland, the USOPC’s chief executive, said Wednesday that she’s hopeful American athletes will all be vaccinated “well before” the Tokyo Games begin in July, but said there aren’t any specific plans in place to inoculate those athletes.
“We are exploring a variety of different scenarios,” she told reporters on a conference call. “It is possible that vaccines maybe readily and widely available in local communities across the country as early as May, if we’re focused on what the administration is telling us. That certainly provides the easiest logistical pathway for athletes who are training in communities across the country.
“We are also exploring opportunities to help support that distribution to ensure we know where athletes are, where they’ll be, there are trials opportunities where we’ll have large groups of athletes gathering,” she continued. “Ideally, vaccines are administered well in advance of that. But we are looking at every option because the landscape continues to change on a regular basis.”
Hirshland said the USOPC medical officials realize there’s a limited window to vaccinate American athletes. Waiting until too close to the July 23 opening ceremony could mean some athletes might be coping with possible side effects associated with the shot.
She said the USOPC knows not all Team USA athletes will pursue vaccines before the Tokyo Games, but the organization is working on education efforts so that all Tokyo-bound competitors can make an informed decision.
The organization has been closely monitoring the headlines surrounding the Beijing Olympics. U.S. Olympic officials said they’ve had discussions with both Congressional leaders and members of the Biden administration, making their stance clear.
“We want to acknowledge that there’s been a steady drumbeat of concern about the human rights situation in Beijing,” Susanne Lyons, chair of the USOPC board, told reporters Wednesday, “as well as some calls for an athlete boycott. While we would never want to minimize what is happening from a human rights perspective in China, as a values-based organization, we support inclusion, respect and equality for all, but I do want to state . . . that we do not support an athlete boycott. We believe such boycotts have not been effective in the past.”
The State of Qatar and MotoGP™️ partner to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to all members of the MotoGP™️ family coming to Doha
Mar 12. 2021
The State of Qatar has significantly ramped-up its COVID-19 vaccination program in 2021, and as a result of this progress, it is able to offer all travelling members of the MotoGP™️ Paddock access to the vaccine.
Qatar and MotoGP™️ have been partners since 2004, when Losail International Circuit first joined the calendar, and Qatar has opened the MotoGP™️ calendar every year since 2007.
This season Qatar will host all pre-season testing for all classes of the Championship, as well as the first two Grands Prix, with the entire MotoGP™️ family being present in Qatar for up to five weeks.
To ensure the health and safety of the entire tour while they are in Qatar and on their continued travels around the world this season, the Government of the State of Qatar has offered MotoGP™️ access to COVID-19 vaccines.
All members of the Championship, including those working and travelling within the MotoGP™️ paddock, will have the chance to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
The vaccination program is aimed at increasing the personal safety of all those on-site. It will offer increased protection for those in the MotoGP™️ paddock and all those that come into contact with it as the sport travels the world this season.
Qatar has provided incredible sporting moments and many milestones have been achieved together, and it is an honour to add another, even more vital for the longstanding collaboration. The FIM, IRTA and Dorna Sports would like to thank the State of Qatar for offering this incredible opportunity to the MotoGP™️ family which will help minimise any risk to the future of the Championship and all its members.
Alex “Little Rock” Silva of Brazil
Korea’s Sungjae Im (Photo credit to Getty Images)
Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Credit to Getty Images)
Si Woo Kim (Photo credit to Credit Getty Images)
Sungjae Im (Credit to Getty Images)
Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee
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