CHINA ON THE RISE

China have come fully prepared to make amends to their 2017 Asia Cup Women Softball championship performance when the eleventh edition of championship which began yesterday at the Gelora Bung Karno's Softball Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia.

in Taiching, Chinese Taipei two years ago, China champions in 1987, 1991, 1995 and finished runners up to Japan in 2004, 2007 and 2011, had the dubious honour of finishing fourth.

A total of ten teams will be competing in the competition which ends on May 8.

Japan, six times winners and defending champions who had won in four times consecutive times, have been drawn in Group A together with China, Korea, India and Thailand.

In Group B are Philippines, champions in 1972 and last year’s losing finalist to Japan, four times runners-up Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong China, host Indonesia and Singapore.

China had not left anything to chance as they have come from after a two-months training stint in Florida, USA.

In fact, their preparations began immediately after their last campaign in the Asia cup when they team was based in the States to compete in the US Softball League.

Team manager of the team, Lin Yang, said the team had progressed tremendously since their stints in the US.

“While we started of the first season in US two years ago only winning three matches of the 46 played, last year we won 13 matches out of 46.

“The two months’ stint in US since February, besides preparing for the Asia Cup, was also our pre-season training for our third season in US later this year.”

Lin Yang who was the China national hockey team for seven years before being assigned by the China Sports Ministry to be in charge of softball three years ago, said that the team’s target in Jakarta is not only make amends to their previous tournament’s performance, but to finish among the top three to participate in the World Cup Women Softball 2021.

 The Asia Cup will also serve as a qualifier for the Asia-Oceania Olympic 2020 qualifier to be held in Shanghai in September 2019. The top six Asia teams, other than Japan will qualify.

 Lin Yang admitted that a lot is at stake for China here in Jakarta, as lot of time and money has been spent on the team’s preparation.

 The government and our main sponsor – Beijing Shougang – have been very supportive towards the team, especially since softball is contested in next year’s Olympics in Japan.

 “Besides, the government is not only supporting sports which are the Olympics, but generally their focus and support for sports in China is huge now,” said Lin.

 The players have been in training and playing fulltime either with the national team or their province teams in China, who work hand in hand to promote the game and make it popular in China and pack the stadiums with fans.

 Lin said that there is already plans in place to have their inaugural professional softball league to further raise the standard of game with several top professionals coming to play in the league.

 “The Asia Cup will serve as gauging venue of our progress up to now, especially with top Asian teams like Japan, Chinese Taipei and Philippines all competing here,” added Liu.

China also has the services of American coaches Corey Myers and Hunter Veach since the 2019 Asia Pacific Cup Championship at Blacktown International Sportspark, Australia in February, where China triumphed

over Chinese Taipei in the final.

 Japan, six times winners and defending champions who had won the four last championship, may start as favourites again in Jakarta, but they will surely be wary of the China’s emergence in the game.