Team Japan faced off against Team Australia in the Canada Cup International Softball Championship final on July 17. Team Japan, known to be incredibly focused and disciplined, exited the field of play with gold medals hanging from their necks.
“There is no doubt that Team Japan is one of the top softball nations in the world,” says Tournament Chair, Greg Timm. “This win for Japan reinforced their reputation as being the best of the best, and it is clear they have a program training both their national and junior teams as they prepare to host the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.”
Team Australia, currently ranked third in the world, walked away with silver medals from the final against Team Japan. After 14 years participating in the event, Team Venezuela took home the bronze medal – their first time standing on podium through the course of their time competing at Canada Cup.
Team Canada, who did not make it to the Canada Cup podium, will get a bit of a break before playing exhibition games against the Akron Racers of the National Pro Fastpitch, then head to the Dominican Republic for the Pan American Championships. Canada needs to finish sixth there to qualify for the 2018 World Championships in Japan, two years before women’s softball is expected to return to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. The 2018 Canada Cup International Softball Championship is slated to return to Surrey, July 13 – 23, 2018.
