Champ fails to make cut

League takes a break with Nadi leading

South Korea’s An San, the first archer to win three gold medals at a single Olympics, failed to make the cut for the 2024 Paris Games at the final open selection event in Gwangju on Monday. An had clinched gold in the individual, team and mixed team events at the Tokyo Games in 2021 but the 23-year-old did not make the cut of 16 shortlisted. South Korea has a policy of selecting only the best performing athletes, cutting those who do not have high scores even if they have had stellar results in the past. An had also made headlines in Tokyo where she became a target of online bullying over her hairstyle after cutting it short, but that did not stop her from becoming the first South Korean to win three gold medals at a single Olympic games.

AFTER each set of four rounds, the Digicel Premier League takes a threeweek break to allow clubs to shift their focus and participate in their respective regional league competitions.

Fiji FA CEO Mohammed Yusuf said it was now mandatory for all districts to conduct their local league competitions.

“This is aimed at fostering the growth and competitiveness of football within different regions,” said Yusuf.

“We made it mandatory for all clubs in our council meeting last month to conduct their local league competitions or face penalty.”

Yusuf emphasized the importance of completing these local league competitions within the specified windows to avoid point deductions in the DPL.

“We are giving districts ample opportunities to organise and complete their club rounds.

“The local league is compulsory, and each district must complete it, otherwise they will now lose points in the DPL.

“Four windows are given to them to hold it and in each window, if they don’t complete their club rounds, they will lose two points from their DPL tally.”

Meanwhile, Nadi holds onto their top spot in the league points table ladder despite a tough draw against Nadroga at Prince Charles in Nadi on Sunday.

With 10 points, including three wins and a draw, they’re maintaining their lead under the guidance of coach Kamal Swamy.

Extra Supermarket Rewa FC has climbed to second place after a solid 3-1 victory over Nasinu, securing seven points from two wins and a draw in three matches.

Rooster Chicken Ba, on the other hand, slipped to third place following a 2-0 defeat at home against Navua. Despite also having seven points, their goal difference keeps them ahead of Navua, who sits in fourth place.

Extra Supermarket Labasa’s 2-1 win over Lautoka has propelled them to fifth position, accumulating five points from three matches. They share the same points as Nadroga, who sit in sixth place after four matches, winning one and drawing two.

Defending champions Lautoka has faced two consecutive losses, dropping them to seventh place with four points from one win and one draw.

Tailevu Naitasiri FC secured the eighth position after a 2-1 victory over Flick Suva, also holding four points.

Suva finds themselves in ninth place with two points, having drawn twice and lost twice.

Nasinu is at the bottom of the table without a point to their name.