Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (ASAPHIL) President Jean Henri Lhuillier welcomed the news that women’s softball has been included on the shortlist of additional sports being evaluated by Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games organizers for potential inclusion at the 2020 Games. The news was relayed to him by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC).
WBSC was among 26 international sports federations to have submitted their bids to Tokyo 2020 organizers earlier this month.
“This is a welcome development for Philippine Sports. Our women’s softball team is the country’s most consistent team performer in international competitions being perennial champions of the Southeast Asian Games, 4th in Asia behind Japan, China and Chinese Taipei who are among the top five in the world and we placed 7th in last year’s World Cup. Imagine, we have five (5) full years to prepare, improve and contend for a medal and possibly the gold in 2020 Tokyo Olympics. We will definitely support WBSC in its effort to have women’s softball included in 2020 Games. We’ll also continue preparing our team for international competitions such as the Olympics, said Lhuillier.
“Excited ang buong team sa news na ito. We had first-hand experience competing against the world’s best in last year’s World Cup and we all feel, we’re just a few steps away from being among the world’s elite teams. Sana makalaro nga tayo sa Olympics and we’ll definitely give our best to win an Olympic medal for the country if ever,” said Randy Dizer, Blu Girls Coach.
As part of the team’s preparations and ASAPHIL’s programs, the 2015 Cebuana Lhuillier National Inter-Secondary Girls’ Softball Championship will be held in December 12-18 in Marikina City and the 2015 Cebuana Lhuillier National Inter-Collegiate Girls’ Softball Championship to be held in Baguio City on December 13-19.
ASAPHIL has also lined up strong tournaments for RP Blu Girls next year such as Canada Cup, World Cup of Softball and World Women’s Softball Championships
In August, presentations to Tokyo 2020 organizers will be made by the shortlisted international federations. The final decision on the composition of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic sports programme will be taken by the 129th IOC Session in Rio de Janeiro in August 2016.
Source: The Manila Times
