Blu Girls target historic Asian Games podium

MANILA — Buoyed by a confidence-building campaign in the Women’s Softball World Cup, the Philippine Blu Girls are determined to end a run of Asian Games heartbreak by securing their first podium finish later this year.

The Blu Girls reached the semifinals and finished fourth in three editions of the continental competition — Incheon in 2014, Jakarta in 2018, and Hangzhou in 2023.

They will seek a breakthrough at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, scheduled Sept. 19–Oct. 4. The official softball competition will be held at the Anjo Softball Ground.

“This Asian Games pinapangako namin sa mga sarili namin na yung iyak namin happy tears naman this time,” team captain Charlotte Sales said.

Sales appeared with co-captain Royevel Palma and assistant coach Rizza Bernardino at the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Philippine Sports Commission media room Tuesday.

“Yung huli (2023 Hangzhou) heartbroken pa rin kaming lahat kasi natalo pa rin kami sa bronze medal match,” Sales said.

The Blu Girls lost to Chinese Taipei, 3-2, in the bronze medal game at the Hangzhou Asian Games, extending the Philippines’ wait for its first women’s softball medal in the continental meet.

The national team will bring a 17-player lineup composed of 12 locally based athletes and five Filipino Americans.

“Hindi kami nawawalan ng pag-asa. And hard work talaga kami na makuha talaga yung goal namin na podium (finish),” said Palma, who was part of the teams that also missed the podium in Jakarta in 2018 and Hangzhou in 2023.

Bernardino, a former Blu Girls player, said the team will conduct another training camp in Japan before competing in the Asian Games.

The Blu Girls are coming off a fifth-place finish in the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Group Lima, which was held July 14–18 in Lima, Peru.

The Philippines completed its campaign with a victory over host Peru to secure fifth place in the group.

“Naging maganda yung training camp kasi ang daming nag-improve (sa team). Maraming tinuro sa amin yung Japan team. Hindi sila madamot magbigay ng skills and anything na makakatulong sa amin,” Bernardino explained.

The team is currently training at the Polo Club and will leave for its Japan camp on Aug. 21.

After the camp, the Blu Girls will travel directly to Nagoya ahead of the softball competition, which begins Sept. 26.

Japan enters as the favorite to win a seventh consecutive Asian Games gold medal after capturing its sixth straight championship in Hangzhou.

The Japanese began their title run at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan and have won every edition since.

Bernardino said the competition will retain its eight-team, single-round-robin format.

The top four teams after the preliminary round will advance to the semifinals.

Aside from Japan and the Philippines, the field includes Chinese Taipei, China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Thailand.