WORLD GATEBALL UNION

Gateball Open Tournaments

2019.08.14

36th All Japan Gateball Games for Communication of All Ages 

Manto-gumi became the champion!

 

The Japan Gateball Union held the 36thAll Japan Gateball Games for Communication of All Ages in Mie prefecture, the central part of Japan, on July 13 and 14, 2019. Teams made up from three generations (under 15 years old, between 15 and 65 years old, and above 65 years old) played in this big national event in which 48 teams participated, representing each prefecture nationwide.

 

All teams made the great games and the team which had the biggest age gap was “E Force” (Mie prefecture) as the team had 89 year gap with the 97 years old and the 8 years old players.

Opening Ceremony

The 3rd from the right is the oldest player, 97 years old, and the left is the youngest player, 8 years old, in the team “E Force”

There were 12 courts in the Yokka-ichi Dome.  Each court had the 4 team matches and the top two teams in each court went to the tournament matches.

The victory went to Manto-gumi from Aichi prefecture.

Manto-gumi from Aichi prefecture

The biggest reason for Manto-gumi’s victory is the 11 old boy Soma who has just joined to this team. Soma started to play Gateball three years ago and this was the first time he played in the big games. Yet he played very well and succeeded in the long touch.

The runner-up, “Wai-wai Club B” from Kagoshima prefecture

Wai-wai Club B is made up from the senior and junior players who have played in the big national games and players in their 20s and 30s with lots of experiences.

The 3rd Place, Komatsu-jima A from Tokushima prefecture
This team is made up from the victors of the last year’s All Japan Junior Gateball Games and the 3rd place of the All Japan Gateball Championships.

The 3rd place, Gifu Hashima from Gifu prefecture
Last year’s victor and have become the victor twice. Yet this year they lost the semifinal game after being ahead. Gifu Hashima also received the prize of the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, which is awarded to the team with the biggest age gap among its players in all prizewinning teams.