Taiwan's Women's Kabaddi Team Going for Gold at Asian Games

Maintaining shot focus and landing a quick tag. One point. Town's National Women's Kabaddi Team is giving it all they've got in preparation for the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan this September. Kabaddi is a high-energy, contact team sport originating in India. Kabaddi is a sport similar to wrestling. It's similar to wrestling or judo. It's a 7-on-7 game. The venue is about the same size as the stadium. The time limit is 15 minutes for each side. The way to score points is to touch the defender If you successfully return to the center line, you score points. After winning bronze in 2018 and taking silver just one point shy of gold in 2023, the team now has its eyes focused on completing its set of medals. This event is especially significant for the players. The Asian Games are among the biggest international stages for kabaddi. The sport is not part of the Olympics, so kabaddi athletes have fewer chances to compete at major multi-sport competitions. Among the athletes is vice-captain Zhuang Yahan. She's been part of the team for many years and says her time there has helped her grow. In 2018, I was one of the youngest members. My mentality at the time was that if my seniors asked me to try something, I would try it. But as I got older, in 2022 and now in 2026, I've become an older senior in the team. My mentality, whether it's in practice or playing cards, is to stay true to myself. To make it to the top of the podium, the athletes have been training in Japan and closely observing powerhouse India, which has so far claimed three gold medals in their Asian Games history. However, according to the coach, the key to victory is trust. Sometimes the players on the court get nervous. Some of their angles can only be seen from the outside of the court. So they have to trust me when it comes to tactics and execution. Despite all the preparation, the team feels something is still missing. I think confidence is something we lack in our team. I think our team has always been strong, but our players sometimes have doubts about their own strength. For example, they can defend very well, but because of one mistake, they don't dare to try again. What we lack right now is competition experience and confidence. I think it's up to the coach to give them confidence. Based on my experience, I will imitate the Indian players and give them confidence. The team will compete at the Asian Games this September, hoping countless hours of preparation and renewed confidence will bring home Taiwan's first women's kabaddi gold medal. Yun Duan and Sunny Chi for Taiwan Plus.