Team Taiwan defeats China defending title as Asia's reigning Korfball Champions

台灣隊擊敗中國成為亞洲合球錦標賽冠軍

Taiwan defeated the Chinese squad 20-13 in a match held Aug. 5 in Saitama Japan


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Taiwan national Korfball team continues to reign victorious in the sport, clinching their ninth gold medal in the Asia-Oceania Korfball championship tournament Aug. 5 in Saitama, Japan.

This year’s match was especially tense, as Taiwan faced off against their historical rival China, ultimately defeating the Chinese squad 22 to 13, successfully defending Taiwan’s title as Asia’ Korfball champions.

The championship match was held in Saitama, Japan at the city’s Saitama Memorial Gymnasium. Inside the Games reports that this was the fourth time the Taiwanese team has won the event in the city.

Reports say that Taiwanese player Chu Shu-Ping (曲書平) was a powerhouse in the first half, who along with Wu Jun-Xian(吳俊賢) and others gave Taiwan a lead of eight to two.

Then in the second half, Shu was replaced by substitute Chuo Ya-Hui (卓雅慧) whose “fine play took the game away from their opponents,” according to Inside the Games.

Taiwanese players Kao Zhen-You (高禎祐) and Lin Ya-Wen (林雅雯) were also selected as this year’s MVPs for the tournament, reports Lt Sports.

Korfball is a sport played by two teams of eight players each, with four men and four women on each squad. It was developed in the Netherlands, and has similarities to netball and basketball.

Taiwan has won every Asia-Oceania Korfball Championship tournament since the event began in 1990, with the exception of 2004, when they came in second.

In the Korfball World Championship, Taiwan has placed third in the past two tournaments in 2011 and 2015, succeeded by Netherlands in first and Belgium in second on both occasions.

The next World Korfball Championship will be held next year in 2019, and will be hosted in South Africa.