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Liverpool FC have completed the signing of Darwin Nunez from Benfica, subject to the successful granting of a work permit and international clearance.

The Uruguayan forward has signed a long-term contract with the Reds after finalising personal terms and completing a medical at the AXA Training Centre.
 

Nunez arrives at Anfield after two seasons in Portugal with Benfica, where he scored 48 goals from his 85 appearances in all competitions.

The 22-year-old has also earned 11 senior caps for Uruguay to date, after making an international debut in October 2019.

“I’m really happy and delighted to be here at Liverpool. It’s a massive club,” Nunez told Liverpoolfc.com in his first interview.

“I’d like to thank my partner and my parents and my son, who is a real source of pride for me. They’ve been really important to me in the stages in my career. I’m really proud of them, and for the work we do, me and my partner, as a team and I’m grateful to her that I’m here.

“It’s a pleasure to be here in Liverpool and I’m very happy to be a part of this great club.

“I’ve played against Liverpool and I’ve seen them in lots of games in the Champions League, and it’s my style of play. There are some great players here and I think it’s going to suit my style of play here.

“As I say, I’ve watched quite a lot and it’s a very big club and I hope I can give everything that I’ve got in order to help the team.”

Nunez’s career in first-team football started at Club Atletico Penarol, having risen through the youth ranks at the Uruguayan club.

He then earned a move to Spain with second-tier side UD Almeria, spending the 2019-20 campaign there before joining Benfica.

Nunez will wear the No.27 shirt for Liverpool and becomes the third Uruguayan to sign for the club, following on from Luis Suarez and Sebastian Coates.

“When I arrived at the training ground, I was really surprised to see the set-up and the structure and all the trophies here,” he said. “You can then imagine yourself winning more trophies and then later on when you come here again and see the trophies on display, you can say, ‘Look, I was a part of that, I was there at that time, winning trophies.’

“That’s one of the reasons why I came here to Liverpool – to win trophies and titles. I want to win a lot of trophies at Liverpool.”

Published : June 15, 2022

By : THE NATION

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The opening circuit of the SAT-TWT Open Road to World Ranking which offers a total prize money of Bt2.5 million will tee off between June 22-24 at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club in Pattaya, Chonburi.

Thai Women’s Professional Golf Association (Thai WPGA) president Chanya Sawangchit announced during the press conference on Tuesday that a total of eight SAT-TWT Open series with an overall prize money of Bt20 million will be staged throughout the entire 2022 season.

“I’m confident that women’s golfers have the ability to compete with players from around the world as long as they can develop their skills systematically and have tournament to play continuously,” said Chanya during the presser attended by Lieutenant General Doctor Peerapong Manakit, Senior Advisor of the Thai WPGA, and Nittaya Kerdjuntuk, Director of the Office of the Professional Sports Committee.

“Our goal is to turn the Thai Women Tour to become a Rolex World Ranking tour. While Thailand already has local world ranking tour for the men, we have yet to have such privilege for a local women’s tour. Due to our experience in holding world ranking tournaments before, we believe we can have our tour sanctioned by the Rolex World Ranking body in the near future,” Chanya added.

First Thai WPGA Event to Tee Off at the Phoenix Gold Next Week
 

Nittaya said that: “On behalf of the public sector which supports women’s golf tournaments, we are glad to be part of the thrust that helps develop professional sports in Thailand. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the organisers, sponsors and the media for playing significant roles and show support in the organizing of this event. ”

Lieutenant General Doctor Peerapong said that: “Presently, it’s widely known that golf is one of the sports that gain reputation and huge revenues for the country. Moreover, Thai golfers have proved that they have the potentials to compete on the global stage which inspires and motivates youngsters to pursue a career in golf and follow their predecessors. The Thai WPGA Tour aims at developing our tournaments to meet the global standard, gain recognition and feature world ranking points eventually.”

The SAT-TWT Open Road to World Ranking, the first of all eight circuits in 2022, will be competed in a three-day stroke-play format with a total of 54 holes (18 holes each day). The field acceptance will not exceed 132 players with only top 60 and ties, after 36 holes, proceeding to the final round. The winner will receive the top prize money of Bt367,500.

The SAT-TWT Open Road to World Ranking is sponsored by the Sports Authority of Thailand, National Sports Development Fund, Siam Commercial Bank, P Overseas Steal (Public Company Limited) and Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club in Pattaya.

Published : June 14, 2022

By : THE NATION

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Golfer Thongchai Jaidee said 14 years of military service gave him the mental strength to become the first Thai winner in PGA TOUR Champions history on Sunday.

Thongchai won the American Family Insurance Championship in Wisconsin by one shot for his 22nd career title, after eight victories in European and 13 on the Asian Tour.

Tied for the lead overnight, the 52-year-old Thai legend signed off on 4-under 68 for a winning total of 14-under 202 at University Ridge Golf Club. His maiden victory on US soil came on his 19th career start in the 50-and-over PGA Tour Champions.

Tom Pernice Jr finished second after a final round of 66. Miguel Angel Jimenez, who was tied overnight with Thongchai, shot 70 to share third at 12-under with Jerry Kelly (67), Marco Dawson (67) and Kirk Triplett (68).

At the trophy presentation, Thongchai revealed he was able to deal with the pressure effectively thanks to his training in the Thai military, which he joined at 16 before becoming a paratrooper at 20 years old.

Royal Thai Army service had also allowed him to hone his golf skills at the military club, until he turned professional at the age of 30.

“I think life in the military helped me a lot as my mental state was built up during military exercises,” he said.

Thongchai rose to world No 27 at the height of his career but is now ranked No 1,181 after not playing a major tournament for several years.

Published : June 14, 2022

By : THE NATION

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Erling Haaland says he has been a Manchester City fan his whole life.

From the pictures that surfaced of the Norwegian wearing various City shirts as a youngster, to the moment he arrived as a Borussia Dortmund player carrying a sky blue washbag, many have assumed (or hoped) he was a boyhood Blue.

Of course, his dad signed for City around the time Erling was born back in July 2000, so following his dad’s team was always going to be an easy decision.

Haaland senior played 47 times for City before a bad knee injury forced his retirement in 2003, aged only 30.

His son would see him play at Maine Road on many occasions, though the then-toddler can recall little of those visits to our former home.

So, ‘why City?’ is probably a redundant question!

“First of all, my father, a little bit,” Erling explained.

“I was born in England. I have been a City fan my whole life. I know a lot about the club.

Erling Haaland says he has been a Manchester City fan his whole life.

“In the end, [deciding to sign was down to] two things. I feel at home here and I feel I can develop and get the best out of my game at City.

“I like the style (of play). I like the attacking football. I like the positive vibe we have when City play football.

“This is what I like a lot, so I think it’s a good fit.”

And what of Maine Road and, more of late, the Etihad?

Is he looking forward to playing his football at our ‘new’ home of almost 20 years?

“I have been there a couple of times before watching games,” Erling said of the Etihad.

“I like it. It is beautiful, I like the colour! It’s a big, huge stadium and I like to play there.”

As for Maine Road, he says: “I have been to a lot of games (there). I don’t remember, but I have been to a lot of games with my mum, sister and brother watching my father play.”
 

Published : June 13, 2022

By : THE NATION

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Manchester City are delighted to confirm the signing of Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund.

The 21-year-old will join the Club on 1 July after penning a five-year deal which keeps him at the Etihad Stadium until the summer of 2027.
 

The son of former City player Alfie, who signed almost 22 years ago to the day, Haaland junior is widely regarded as one of Europe’s best strikers and arrives at the Club with a formidable goalscoring reputation following impressive spells at Molde FK, Red Bull Salzburg and Dortmund.

A 21-cap Norwegian international, Haaland scored 86 goals in 89 games in two-and-a-half seasons with the Black and Yellows, winning the German Cup and the Bundesliga Player of the Season award in 2020/21.

“This is a proud day for me and my family,” he told mancity.com after completing his move.

“I have always watched City and have loved doing so in recent seasons. You can’t help but admire their style of play, it’s exciting and they create a lot of chances, which is perfect for a player like me. 

“There are so many world-class players in this squad and Pep is one of the greatest managers of all-time, so I believe I am in the right place to fulfil my ambitions. 

 “I want to score goals, win trophies and improve as a footballer and I am confident I can do that here. This is a great move for me and I can’t wait to get started in pre-season.”
 

Director of Football Txiki Begiristain added: “We have been monitoring Erling for several years now, so we are delighted to bring him here to Manchester City.

“He is a huge talent and has been one of the best strikers in Europe over the last few seasons. His goalscoring record is exceptional and his performances at Borussia Dortmund and in the Champions League in particular have proved he can succeed at the highest level.

Director of Football Txiki Begiristain and Erling Haaland

“Erling has everything we want in a striker and we are certain he will excel in this squad and this system.

“His rise has been remarkable, but he is still only 21. His best years are ahead of him and we are confident he can get even better working with Pep.

“This is a very exciting signing for our club, and I am sure our fans will enjoy watching Erling perform in this team.”

Haaland shirts will be made available once his squad number is confirmed in due course.

Published : June 13, 2022

By : THE NATION

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Benfica have reached an agreement with Liverpool for the sale of forward Darwin Nunez for an initial fee of 75 million euros ($78.59 million), the Portuguese club announced on Monday (June 13).

The agreement, which includes 20 million euros in add-ons, is dependent on Nunez signing an employment contract with Liverpool, the statement added.
 

Nunez was the top scorer in Portugal’s top flight in the 2021-22 season and scored 34 goals in all competitions for Benfica, including goals in both legs of the club’s Champions League quarter-final defeat by Liverpool.

His ability to play out wide and through the middle would make him the ideal replacement for Sadio Mane, who has been linked with a move to Bayern Munich.

Liverpool finished the 2021-22 season with the FA Cup and League Cup but came second in the league and lost the Champions League final to Real Madrid.

Benfica purchased Nunez from Almeria in the summer of 2020 for 24 million euros and British media have said the Spanish club is set to receive 20% of any profit from his transfer.

Published : June 13, 2022

By : Reuters

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Prayut discussed with Tourism and Sports Ministry and UTMB Asia Limited’s executives on Friday at the Government House about supporting the economy and Thai tourism to be well-known.

Trail-running competitions in Thailand were successful and brought fame to the country as runners from several countries have competed in these competitions. It also generated up to 1.5 billion baht for Thailand per year while promoting Thai tourism.
 

Moreover, Prayut said the government is ready to support sports tourism to stimulate the economy for the community and people in the area. Thailand will also connect the route with neighbour countries in the later phase.

Thailand has improved trail running competitions to the major level in which runners from all around the world are interested to compete as they will be able to see Thai local culture and environment.

Published : June 13, 2022

By : THE NATION

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Thai women badminton players showed why they are feared worldwide on Sunday, as Ratchanok Inthanon won silver and her junior teammate, 15, grabbed gold on the international stage.

Former world No 1 Ratchanok battled through to the final of the Daihatsu Indonesia Masters in Jakarta, losing a tight battle with China’s Chen Yufei 2-1 (21-16, 18-21, 21-15). However, teen prodigy Pitchamon Opatniput stamped her status as the new Thai hope by beating Taiwan’s Yun Sun Cao 2-1 (21-16, 15-21, 21-16) in the final of the Victor Denmark Masters in Hillerod.

Badminton Association of Thailand president Patama Leeswadtrakul praised both players for their achievement in the world-class competitions. Ratchanok clinched the US$27,000 runners-up cheque in the Indonesia Masters, a second-tier (Super 750) World Tour tournament, while Pitchamon took the top prize at her top-level continental event.

“Today our badminton players once again boosted Thailand’s reputation,” said Pattama.

Ratchanok had done her best for Thai fans and qualified for her 41st final on the world stage, said the badminton chief.

“Ratchanok is considered a player who always maintains her high standard in competitions,” she said, adding that Thailand’s No 1 was a good model for juniors.

One of those juniors is Pitchamon, who now has two titles under her belt this year after winning the Victor Swedish Open in Dublin on January 23.

Pattama said Pitchamon is honing her skills and will undoubtedly become an important member of Thailand’s national team.

Later this year, the 15-year-old will enter the BWF World Junior Championships looking to emulate Ratchanok who won the 2009 title aged just 14.

Published : June 13, 2022

By : THE NATION

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Thongchai Jaidee made history by becoming the first Thai golfer to win on the PGA Tour Champions with a stunning one-stroke victory at the American Family Insurance Championship in Wisconsin on Sunday.

Tied for the lead overnight, the 52-year-old Thongchai signed off with a 4-under 68 for a winning total of 14-under 202 at University Ridge – The University of Wisconsin Golf Course to earn his maiden victory on US soil in his 19th career start on the 50-and-over PGA Tour Champions.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Tom Pernice Jr. finished second after a 66. Miguel Angel Jimenez, who was tied for the second-round lead with Thongchai, had a 70 to tie for third at 12-under with Jerry Kelly (67), Marco Dawson (67) and Kirk Triplett (68).

“I’m really very happy with the tournament here. Sometimes everything has to be perfect, you can’t expect you can win … I’m very happy,” said Thongchai, who had earned a place in this week’s tournament after finishing 10th in Iowa last weekend.

With his lowest 54-hole score on the PGA Tour Champions, Thongchai became the first foreigner to win the American Family Insurance Championship and rose to 12th place on the Charles Schwab Cup standings.

He is now exempt on the over-50 circuit through the end of 2023 and also earned a spot in the 2023 Mitsubishi Electric Championship in Hualalai, Hawaii.

Thongchai bounced back from a bogey on the par-5 16th hole with a birdie on the par-3 17th and then closed out for victory with a closing par. It turned out to be a gutsy bogey on the 16th as he rolled in a long putt from just off the green for his six.

“Great tournament here,” said Thongchai, who regained his PGA Tour Champions card last December by finishing runner-up in the Qualifying School.

“I played solid, solid, solid. I made one mistake on 16, hit the tree and lost the ball. We made a good bogey and tried to get back to my plan. We had 215 yards for my fourth shot, I hit the 5-iron to the back of the green. I think it was a good putt from there to make a bogey. I holed a good putt on 17 and the game changed after that. Hole 17 was unbelievable. I think my confidence was in the putting, that’s what helped me a lot.”

Thongchai was in the Thai Army and trained as a paratrooper before turning professional at the age of 30. He holds multiple wins in Asia and has won eight times on the DP World Tour.

Thongchai also became the first Thai golfer to play in the 2015 Presidents Cup but did not earn a PGA Tour card during his heyday.

“I would like to say thank you to my family, my sponsors and all the people’s support in Thailand. I think it’s very difficult to be on the tour,” he said.
 

Published : June 13, 2022

By : THE NATION

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Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has proposed a cross-border Asean running event to boost tourism after Thailand was chosen to host two races in the world’s premier ultra-marathon series.

Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) president Catherine Poletti revealed the proposal after visiting Prayut to discuss the series’ Amazean Jungle Trail in Yala’s Betong district and “Thailand by UTMB” on Doi Inthanon in Chiang Mai province.

The Betong trail-running event saw over 1,000 runners from around the world tackle three courses – 100km, 50km and 25km – on May 6-8.

The Doi Inthanon ultra-marathon over a heart-stopping 170km course up Thailand’s highest mountain will take place on December 9.

Asked by Prayut about the benefits of trail running, Poletti explained that it was a kind of hybrid tourism-sports activity that could also boost revenue for local people.

She said trail-running activities could draw more tourists under the UTMB’s philosophy of connecting the athletes with local communities.

She explained that trail runners came not just to race but also to experience local life, with many extending their stay to learn about the culture, in turn boosting revenue from tourism.

Poletti said Prayut showed interest in the hybrid sport-tourism philosophy and suggested that the UTMB expand the Betong Amazean Jungle Trail to Malaysia as a cross-border race. He also organising cross-Asean running events, she added.

Poletti said Thailand has strong potential for trail running because the Kingdom is a popular tourist destination for Europeans. Tourists are drawn by Thailand’s reputation as a friendly “Land of Smiles”, she added, confirming that she had received a warm welcome from her Thai hosts.

She said that apart from beautiful scenery, Thailand also offered fascinating history and culture for trail runners and other tourists.

Meanwhile, the Doi Inthanon trail would give runners a unique experience of the national park’s beautiful forests and mountains, Poletti said.

The Chiang Mai run would build on the success of the “Amazean Jungle Thailand”, where runners followed Malay signposts through the pristine Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary, an area on the Malaysia border known as the Amazon of Asean.

Poletti said the Betong race could be compared to the Chamonix-Mont-Blanc route where runners enjoy stunning views across France, Italy and Switzerland.

She said the limited number of direct flights to Betong’s new international airport would not pose a major obstacle to trail-running there, adding that athletes could be bussed in just as they are for the Chamonix race in France.

The UTMB president also praised the Thai government for its support of trail-running activities.

Published : June 12, 2022