|
 |
|
 |
|
[World Gateball Championship JAPAN-NIIGATA 2014]
|
 |
Introduction of the participating nations and regions 3
China, Chinese Taipei, Korea, Hong Kong - China, Macao - China, India, Thailand, Indonesia, and Philippines
Two championships in a row!? China
Seven teams will be participating from China, which exclusively won the first three places in the last championship.
The participating teams are the defending champions "Fujian", and the top six teams from the "All China Selection Tournament 2014 (and 11th World Championship Trials)" (thirty four teams participated) held in May this year. They are aiming at a second consecutive victory in this championship, but this year the championship will be held on natural grass courts. There are very few natural grass courts in China. As a result, there is a feeling that it might be difficult for them to get good results.
The team to look out for is the defending champion "Fujian China". The team was formed in 2000. Excellent players were selected, focusing on middle-aged players from the entire Fujian province, for participating in the Nationwide Athletic Meet. They are veterans who, on the domestic front, are two-time national champions in the 2nd Nationwide Athletic Meet held in 2002, and in international championships, apart from being the defending champions, they have also won the Third Asia Gateball Championship (Shanghai, China) in 2000. They have high technical capabilities and strong mental power, and also a high success rate in long-distance strikes and the ability to turn around an unfavorable situation in the game. Their rival in this championship is clearly Japan.
They said, "Drawing attention as the defending champions is natural, but we want to enjoy the course of the games without feeling the pressure. We would also like to enjoy the interaction with the players from all the countries and regions".
(This team photograph is from the Chinese Gateball Association publication "Garden of Gateball")
|
 |
|
 |
| "Fujian China" when they first won at the last championship. They are definitely aiming at their second consecutive victory in this championship! |
|
"Tianjin Binhai China" who were placed third in the domestic trials this year. Best 8 veterans from the last championship |
 |
|
 |
| "Shanxi Linfen China" who were among the best 8 in the last championship. They also finished second in the 6th Asian Championships (Macao) in 2012. On the domestic front, they won the All China Championship in 2013. They ranked 6th place in the domestic trials this year. |
|
"Kunshan City China". They won the All China Championship in 2013. They ranked 8th in the domestic trials this year. Team that emphasizes strategies and has excellent team work. |
Spotlight on the junior team and family team of the Amis! Chinese Taipei
Twelve teams will be participating from Chinese Taipei.
The participating teams are the teams nominated by each branch of the Chinese Taipei Gateball Association. The teams consist of members in a wide range of ages, the youngest being 13 years old and the oldest being 85 years old, and majority of the teams have participated in international championships in the past. Chinese Taipei obtained the second and third position in the 9th Championship in 2006, but in the last championship, they suffered a defeat due to a tie with Fujian, that won the first round, and only one team advanced to the finals.
Two teams stand out. One team is the junior team "TPE Fangyuan Junior High School" and this is the first time that a junior team is participating in an international championship from Chinese Taipei. This team won the All Chinese Taipei Junior Championship held in March this year. The members have been playing with their teacher, who is also the coach, for 5 to 6 years, and team work is their motto. The team has been training hard on basic techniques and strategies for about 2 hours, 2 to 3 times a week in the school.
The other team is the "TPE Hualien Generation", which is a family team of the indigenous Taiwanese Amis. This is a new team consisting of the Captain LIN, HSIN-CHIH (64 years) who started playing after retiring from the police force, his wife, siblings, uncle, and nephew. Apart from participating in the 6th Asian Championship in 2012, they participated in the "Thailand International Gateball Championship" in 2012 and won the 4th place. The team has been practicing strategy every week through competitions with neighborhood teams in the early morning for about 1 to 2 hours from Monday to Friday. Using the family trust relationship as an asset, the team has been making progress by constantly reflecting on the game with the family and discussing the reflection points.
Both the teams consider Japan, China, India, and Hong Kong – China as their rivals and aim to be amongst the best 4 in this championship. They hope that the ability of their team is tested through their play with the veteran teams of the world, and that they are able to learn from the veteran teams.
|
 |
"TPE Hualien Generation"
Rivals are Japan and China. Aiming for victory! Korea
Nine teams are participating from Korea.
The participating teams are the winning team of the Club League Festival and the team interested in participating in the championship, and are characterized by male players on the whole. Korea won the third place in the 7th Championship in 1998, and an award for fighting spirit (best 8) in the 9th Championship in 2006, but was eliminated in the preliminary round in the last championship and would like to avenge that defeat.
Two teams stand out. One of the teams is "CHANGWON". The selected team of CHANGWON, which is located to the south of Korea, includes three people with physical disabilities. The team will be participating in an international championship for the first time, but in the domestic championship, they are veterans, who have won in National Para Games (2013) and Club League Festival (2013). All the members use the stride-and-strike form with the same technical abilities, altering the game to their advantage from the latter half with sticking to the basics through passing touch, etc., and the team work is good. In their 5-hour training sessions twice a week at a regional all-weather practice area, the team has been practicing individually, enhancing concentration, and researching strategy. According to them, "In this championship, we would like to learn new techniques and strategies of all the participating countries and regions, and reduce the differences in abilities with the world, even if only slightly".
The other team is "SEJONG". The selected team of the Sejong Special Self-Governing City, which is located at the center of Korea, mainly consists of the members of the Association of Teachers Retired in 2004. This is a gentle team that proceeds with the game safely without pushing themselves. They have shown results in domestic championships such as the Presidential Standard Championship (2013).
Both the teams consider China and Japan as their rivals and aim to win the championship!
Aiming to advance to the finals! Hong Kong - China
One team "New Territories " will be participating from Hong Kong - China.
In the last championship, one team from Hong Kong - China advanced to the finals, but lost to China in the first round by a narrow margin.
"New Territories" was formed for this championship in June this year with gateball players from the same district. All the members are in their 60s, most of the members will be participating in an international championship for the first time, and they use a stride-and-strike form and orthodox playing methods. The team has been practicing individual techniques on natural grass court and training in the game format for 3 hours thrice a week. The team considers China, Japan, and Chinese Taipei as their rivals and aims to advance to the finals. According to them, "Through this championship, we want to absorb gateball techniques, as well as broaden our friend circle in the world. Using the momentum from this championship, we would like to further popularize gateball in Hong Kong".
Spotlight on the national team "China Macao 1"! Macao - China
Four teams will be participating from Macao - China.
Macao has been participating from the 9th Championship in 2006, but so far has been eliminated in the preliminary round.
Apart from the Macao - China national team "China Macao 1", the participating teams were decided through the results of the All Macao Championship. The members are mainly in their forties to fifties.
All members of "China Macao 1" use the stride-and-strike form, and have been training hard, 3 to 4 times a week. They consider China and Japan as their rivals. They modestly admit "Our team is still a developing team. Therefore, in this championship, we would like to learn by competing with various national and regional teams".
|
 |
Macao when they participated in the last championship
Debut! India
Two teams will be participating from the following one associations from India, which will be debuting in this championship.
Two teams "Indian Gateball Union A / B" will be participating from "INDIAN GATEBALL UNION (IGU)". The best teams in domestic and district tournaments have been selected to participate in this championship. Both the teams are men’s teams, and consist of members in a wide age group, from 10 to 60 years. IGU first participated in an international championship in "World Games 2009 Kaohsiung International Convention" held in Taiwan in 2009. Thereafter, they participated in the international championships in China, Hong Kong, Macao, Australia, Indonesia/ Bali, and Thailand, and won the "Bali International Championship" in 2010, and the "Thailand International Championship" in 2012. Even on the domestic front, this association has been sponsoring the Indian Open Gateball Tournament every year since 2010. All the members use the stride-and-strike form, and have been training under floodlights at night every week, and in the mornings on Sundays. They consider China as their rival. "We definitely want to win this championship and make our presence felt to the World Gateball Union. We would also like to foster friendship with the gateball players of the world, and get them to participate in the Indian Open Gateball Tournament".
|
 |
"INDIAN GATEBALL UNION (IGU)" won the "Bali International Championship" in 2010,
Participating for the second time after 10 years! Thailand
One team "Thailand" will be participating from Thailand. Since the 6th Championship (Kagoshima, Japan) in 1994, Thailand will be participating in this championship for the second time; thus, making an appearance after an interval of 10 years and five championships.
From 1990, the Japanese people in Thailand started popularizing gateball in cooperation with the Thailand Sports Bureau of the time. The Thailand Gateball Union was established in 2012. From that year onwards, the Thailand International Gateball Competition is being held every year.
To select a team for participating in this championship, the Thailand Gateball Union conducted a proficiency test, selected the players who passed the test, and formed a team two months after the test. The team has players from a wide range of ages, from their 20s to 60s, and has members who have participated in the international championship held in Taiwan in 2012, and the international championship held in Bali, Indonesia in 2013. The team has been taking lessons in individual skills and training in the game format for 2 hours thrice a week at a prefectural park in the Udon Thani province, to cultivate team coordination. They consider themselves as their own rivals. Their objective is to aim for the championship, to build excellent friendly relations with the players from other countries and regions, to obtain lots of experience, and learn good tactics.
|
 |
Members of "Thailand" who will be participating in this championship
Participating for the second time following the last championship! Indonesia
Six teams will be participating from Indonesia, which is participating for the second time after the last championship.
Gateball started in Indonesia from Bali, the Indonesia Gateball Association was founded in 2011, and it officially joined the World Gateball Union in 2013. At present, gateball is not only played in Bali, but has also spread to Java where the capital Jakarta is located, Sumatra, and Sulawesi. The players are mainly middle aged, but the number of students and juniors is also increasing.
|
 |
Indonesia team when they participated in the last championship for the first time
Youngest player is 18 years old! Philippines
Three teams will be participating from Philippines, which made its international championship debut in the last championship.
In Philippines, gateball has mainly spread in Manila and Cebu Island. From 2006, " Philippine-Japan Gateball Friendship Games" are held every year, the Philippines Gateball Union was established in 2012, and it joined the World Gateball Union the same year.
The participating teams were formed by selecting teams and players considering their gateball experience. The youngest player is 18 years old and the team includes members who have participated in international championships.
While expressing their thoughts about this championship they said, "We are a new team and are at a stage where we are still trying to master the game and are exploring strategies, but we have focused on training so as to win the games. We want to demonstrate our ability to the maximum in this championship and bring honor to our country. Moreover, we have been very excited right before the championship, anticipating that we would be able to meet different people from around the world."
|
 |
| Philippine team when they participated in the last championship |
|
| |
| |
|
|
