The 4th Asian Universities Women Softball Asia Cup 2024 begins tomorrow at the Taichung International Softball Stadium in Waipu District, Taichung and end on Oct 19.
The tournament is organised by Softball Asia in collaboration with Chinese Taipei Softbball Association (CTSA)
Seven teams will be competing namely, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Singapore and host Chinese Taipei.
All athletes-players competing in the competition will be 18 – 28 years old in the year of competition (2024), that is, born between the years of 2006 – 1996; and also a full-time bona fide student in a recognised / accredited university or institute of higher learning, with a valid student identification card up to 31 December 2024 which is recognised by Softball Asia.
Any student who graduated or graduates in 2024 is also eligible to participate provided she provides written proof, to the satisfaction of Softball Asia, of such graduation in 2024.
This Universities tournament is part of the overall Softball Asia’s development programme to enable the Women Softball athletes-players in universities (after the U18 tournaments – to bridge until the senior WSB level) to continue to have a platform to play Asia Cup level tournament.
The 3rd edition of the championship was held in December 2022 in Pattaya, Thailand, under difficult times, especially with the Covid-19 endemic.
But it was successfully held with Japan emerging as champion, Chinese Taipei as runners-up and Korea taking third place for the bronze medal.
The final standings at the last championship were as follows: 1. Japan 2. Chinese Taipei 3. Korea 4. Singapore 5.Thailand 6. Hong Kong 7. Malaysia 8. India.
Japan had saved the best for the last, as their wrested the 3rd Asian Universities Women Softball Asia Cup 2022 title in Pattaya for the first in their third attempt, when they downed Chinese Taipei 5-4 in tie-breaker.
For Chinese Taipei who were playing in their third consecutive final in Pattaya, it was a case of luck running on them and will surely be looking to make amend on home ground this time around.
Chinese Taipei had won the inaugural tournament, before bowing out to China in the in the 2nd edition.
With China, not competing for the second consecutive championship, it expected to be an open field affair again, but all eyes will surely be on Chinese Taipei, while Japan will be looking forward to defend the title.
But then again, it is difficult to predict the strength of the teams at this Universities championship, because the teams change for every tournament, as students graduate and leave, and fresh ones make the team every two years.
However, like previous editions, an interesting battle is on the cards.
Korea will play ball to roll off the battles tomorrow, as they play host Chinese Taipei in the opening game.
