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Starting this weekend, a total of 16 elite softball teams will battle it out for the world's top honor at the International Softball Federation (ISF) XI Women's World Championships in Beijing's Fengtai Softball Field.

 

Four Olympic tickets will be also on the line in addition to the chance to be crowned the world champions, as the top four teams of the tournament will be qualified for the 2008 Beijing Games (five if the host team finish within the top four). Plus, the Beijing trip will be very valuable because the tournament is held at the same venue for the 2008 Olympic softball competitions.

 

Highly competitive matches can be predicted between traditional powerhouses like the US, Japan, Australia and the hosts China, all gold contenders for the 2008 Games.

 

As the defending champions, the US team are heading into the tournament as the absolute favorites. No team were ever able to challenge their supremacy on the sport since 1986 Auckland Worlds where they started to win five consecutive world titles. In the Olympic Games, the US team also never failed in their quest for the gold, winning three consecutive gold medals since the 1996 Atlanta where the sport made Olympic debut.

 

The team came back with their head coach Mike Candrea, who led the team to win the last championships in Canada.

 

The Americans have been in awesome form with a perfect 6-0 in its first international event of the season when they convincingly took the II World Cup of Softball Championship trophy.

 

Having beaten five teams that will be competing in the Beijing championship in World Cup tournament, they are very likely to win their six consecutive title and eighth in total.

 

"Our expectation is to repeat as world champions and it is our desire to do so in Beijing," Karen Johns, assistant coach of US team, told the website of University of Virginia before traveling to Beijing.

 

The USA team stand at a stunning 96-9 record in World Championships with only one loss in the past five Worlds. The last loss came in 1998 against Australia who won 2-1 in 12 innings.

 

As the hosts and two-time runners-up, China won't give up any opportunity to finally go top, no matter how strong their rivals are.

 

Coached by Michael Bastian, a former USA Softball and national team's coach, China hope to regain their confidence. They have not won a medal from any major international tournament since the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

 

"We have worked a lot on confidence and believe that we can be the best in the world," Bastian said.

 

However it isn't an easy task for Bastian to build up a powerful team like the one who pushed to a thrilling final, making it to the US 3-1 at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

 

As the second foreign coach for the team after Canadian Shan McDonald, the American coaching guru has been battling to win the trust from his new pupils since taking the post at the end of last year.

 

Misunderstandings often happened when he tried to bring changes, namely, when he encouraged the Chinese, known for best defensive play in the world, to play offensively by driving the ball long. He had to infuriate his pupils intentionally to cultivate their passion on the field.

 

"Learning the Chinese culture and China's softball is big challenge for me," said Bastian, who branded Chinese as "the most hard working and unselfish players in the world."

 

Although Bastian's first international tournament with the team ended with a fifth place at II World Cup, the Chinese camp believe they have reached a good place with the American and are ready for any challenge.

 

"Right now, the situation is very good," said team leader Qi Yan. "The players want to do nothing but display their strength in the coming Worlds."

 

For the local team, finding a balanced game combining the short-hand play they used previously to excel and the power play introduced by Bastian, is important to a medal finish at the Worlds, an important tune-up to 2008 Beijing Games.

 

"We have a goal for the Worlds - find that balance and score many runs," Bastian said.

 

China will open the tournament with Britain on 10?AM (2:00 GMT) on Sunday. On September 1, China will meet the US in a night game, a major highlight of the tournament.

 

China entered into finals of three major international competitions, but lost all to the US in 1986 Auckland Worlds, 1996 Atlanta Olympics and 1994 St Johns Worlds in Canada.

 

Japan, Australian and Canada are the other teams to be watched closely in Beijing.

 

The Japanese are closest to the overwhelming Americans so far, finishing second behind the US team with a 5-2 final loss in the II World Cup earlier this year. In 2005, the Japanese surprisingly denied the US the inaugural World Cup by winning the final 3-1.

 

As the team who delivered the US' only loss in the past five Worlds, the Australian team hope to win the title eluded them for 31 years. They won the first Worlds on home soil in 1965.

 

For the Canadians, they are looking forward to improving their performance after losing to the US in the title match of the Canada Cup last month.

 

(China Daily August 26, 2006)