Japan favourites to extend softball winning streak

HANGZHOU – A preview of the softball competition which runs from 26 September to 2 October at Shaoxing Baseball & Softball Sports Centre.

Japan (JPN) are favourites to secure their sixth consecutive softball gold, two years after winning gold at the 2020 Olympic Games.

They won gold at Jakarta-Palembang 2018 by defeating Chinese Taipei (TPE) 7-0 in the final.

Japan also won the 2019 Asian Women’s Softball Championship, beating China (CHN) 9-2 in the final.

Pitcher GOTO Miu (JPN) will make her Asian Games debut after a starring role in the team’s triumph at Tokyo 2020.

Chinese Taipei will be hoping to break Japan’s winning streak after earning silver at the 2018 Asian Games.

Confidence will be high in the Chinese Taipei camp after they claimed bronze at last year’s World Games in the USA.

Pitcher KE Hsia Ai played a leading role in Chinese Taipei’s silver medal at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U18 Women’s Softball World Cup two years ago.

China have won a softball medal at every Asian Games since the event was introduced in 1990. They last struck gold in 1998, winning the competition two times prior.

No country outside of Japan, Chinese Taipei, and China has won a medal in softball at the Asian Games.

Eight teams will compete in the event, with both medal matches taking place on 2 October.

Source: Asian Games Hangzhou Info