China triumphed in the 22nd Asian Women’s U20 Volleyball Championship, securing a thrilling 3-2 victory against Japan in the final at the Jiangmen Sports Center Gymnasium. The win marked China’s 13th title in this championship’s history, achieved with a stellar unbeaten record.
The intense match ended with scores of 23-25, 25-21, 25-17, 14-25, and 15-10 in favor of China. The home crowd of 4,000 erupted in celebration as outside hitter Dong Yuhan led with 20 points, supported by Li Chenxuan and Wang Yindi with 16 and 12 points, respectively. Despite Japan’s Miku Akimoto scoring a match-high 26 points, China’s superior blocking and serve secured their victory.
This win avenged China’s losses to Japan in the previous two editions of the championship. The tournament also served as a qualifier for the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women’s U21 World Championship. Alongside China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam qualified for the global event.
In the bronze-medal match, Korea defeated Thailand 3-1, marking their return to the podium for the first time since 2014. Middle blocker Lee Jiyun scored 18 points for Korea, while Warisara Seetaloed of Thailand made a match-high 29 points.
