Following the success of the 2013 IBSA Goalball Asia/Pacific Championships in Beijing, China has once again been granted the hosting rights for the 2015 edition of the IBSA Goalball Asia/Pacific Championships.
 
This time the championships will take place in Hangzhou, home of China’s new centre dedicated to goalball. The championships will commence on 5 November and wrap up on 13 November 2015.
 
The Chinese women, current Paralympic silver medalists, were victors at last year’s Asia/Pacific Championships. The defeated Japan in what was a replay of the final from London 2012. Neither team medalled at this year’s IBSA Goalball World Championships. The consequence of this is that neither team has qualified yet for Rio 2016.
 
Therefore both teams will be working hard to finish at the top of the podium come next August because the winner of the regional championship will automatically receive a spot in Rio.
 
The same counts on the men’s side. China won the gold medal at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games in a thriller over Lithuania but at last year’s regional championship they could only manage the bronze medal behind Iran and Japan.
 
Iran, however, will be out to continue their recent dominance when competing within Asia. Along with the Chinese women, they were not only the top placed team at last year’s Asia/Pacific Championships but also top placed at last month’s Incheon Asia Para Games.
 
We thank China for once again offering to host these championships and we believe that they will build on last year’s success.