The Chinese women’s water polo team showcased their resilience and skill by defeating Japan in a nail-biting penalty shootout to win the Asian Water Polo Championship in Zhaoqing, Guangdong, on Sunday.
After dominating the initial four matches with ease, China faced a tough challenge against Japan in the final game. Japan started strong, leveraging their numerical advantage to secure an early 4-1 lead in the first quarter. Despite missing several critical goals, the Chinese team mounted a strong comeback but remained neck and neck throughout regular time.
The championship came down to a tense penalty shootout, where Chinese goalkeeper and captain Shen Yi made three crucial saves, sealing a narrow 18-17 victory for her team. Shen Yi expressed her confidence in the final moments, stating, \"The last shot of the penalty shootout was not so difficult for me because I know my opponent well. We've been competing against each other since the 2018 Asian Games. She is also a veteran in her team. So I just knew which way she would throw and I trusted my guts, based on all my experience before and our preparations for this match. I didn't think too much. So it was not very difficult for me.\"
This victory marks a significant achievement for the young athletes, highlighting their dedication and the strategic prowess of the Chinese women’s water polo team. As they celebrate their championship win, the team looks forward to continuing their success on both regional and international stages.
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Chinese women's water polo team beat Japan to win Asian Championship
cgtn.com
