Thailand's women's volleyball team once again proved their continental dominance, defending their Asian Championship title and securing a historic spot at the 2028 Olympic Games. In the final match held in Tianjin, China, the Thai athletes edged out the hosts in a tense five-set battle, winning 3-2, according to infohub.kz.
The decisive match was truly dramatic. Thailand started strong, taking the first set 25-20, but China fought back to win the next two sets 25-11 and 25-23. The reigning Asian champions did not falter, leveling the match with a 25-18 win in the fourth set and sealing the victory with a 15-10 triumph in the tie-break. The top scorer of the match was Thailand's Sasipaporn Janthawisut with 28 points.
This is Thailand's fourth Asian Championship gold and their second consecutive title. Notably, in the 2023 final, they also defeated China 3-2. However, the biggest achievement of this tournament is Thailand's first-ever qualification for the Olympic Games. The team will make their Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028.
Despite the loss in the final, China had already secured a spot at the 2027 World Championship before the final match. Thailand also earned a place at the World Championship: according to the rules, the top three Asian teams qualify directly. The last spot was decided in the third-place match, where Japan defeated Iran in straight sets (25-21, 25-16, 26-24). Thus, Thailand, China, and Japan will compete at the 2027 World Championship. Iran, which reached the semifinals of the continental championship for the first time in history, finished fourth.
Kazakhstan's national team, unfortunately, ended their campaign after the group stage. Coached by Askar Shalkibekov, they surprisingly lost to Indonesia (0-3), then beat Australia (3-0), and lost to eventual champions Thailand (1-3). With an equal set ratio with Chinese Taipei and Vietnam, Kazakhstan lost out on the tie-breaker based on points ratio and failed to advance as one of the two best third-placed teams. As a result, Kazakhstan lost their chances for an Olympic berth and a place at the World Championship. At the previous Asian Championship in 2023, Kazakhstan finished fifth, with their best result being a silver medal in 2005.