Updated: 2008-06-17
(BEIJING, June 17) — China face Canada, while defending champions Cuba meet Japan in the opening games of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Baseball tournament.
The International Baseball Federation (IBF) and BOCOG released the schedule for the Olympic Games in August. Eight national teams will contest the competition which will consist of a round robin format in which each team will play against each seven other teams.
The USA, Cuba, Netherlands, Japan, Republic of Korea, Canada and Chinese Taipei have been selected from competition, and join China which, as the Olympic Games host nation, gains automatic qualification.
However, the runners-up of the 2004 Athens Olympics, Australia, have failed to qualify. The top four sides in the preliminary competition will move into the semifinals, with the country ranked No 1 playing the team ranked No 4, and No 2 playing the third-placed team. The winning semifinalists will contest the final, and the gold and silver medals.
This will be the first time that a Chinese baseball team has taken part in Olympic Games, and it could be the last time – baseball has not been included in the London 2012 Olympic Games roster.
The Olympic baseball tournament will be staged from August 13 – 23 at the Beijing Wukesong Baseball Field. The semifinals will be held on August 22, with the final on August 23.
GAMES OF THE XXIX OLYMPIAD, BEIJING 2008OLYMPIC BASEBALL TOURNAMENT OFFICIAL SCHEDULE APPROVED BY THE INTERNATIONAL BASEBALL FEDERATION PRELIMINARY ROUNDDATEGAMETIMEFIELDGAMEWednesay, August 13110:30WKB Field 2Chinese Taipei – Netherlands211:30WKB Main FieldChina – Canada318:00WKB Field 2Republic of Korea – USA419:00WKB Main FieldCuba – JapanThursday, August 14 510:30WKB Field 2Netherlands – USA611:30WKB Main FieldRepublic of Korea- China 718:00WKB Field 2Cuba – Canada819:00WKB Main FieldChinese Taipei – Japan 910:30WKB Field 2China – Chinese Taipei 1011:30WKB Main FieldUSA – Cuba 1118:00WKB Field 2Canada – Republic of Korea 1219:00WKB Main FieldJapan – Netherlands 1310:30WKB Field 2USA – Canada 1411:30WKB Main FieldCuba – Chinese Taipei 1518:00WKB Field 2China – Netherlands 1619:00WKB Main FieldJapan – Republic of KoreaSunday, August 17REST DAYMonday, August 18 1710:30WKB Field 2Canada – Japan 1811:30WKB Main FieldChinese Taipei – Republic of Korea1918:00WKB Field 2Netherlands – Cuba2019:00WKB Main FieldUSA – ChinaTuesday, August 182110:30WKB Field 2Netherlands – Canada2211:30WKB Main FieldRepublic of Korea- Cuba2318:00WKB Field 2Japan – China 2419:00WKB Main FieldUSA – Chinese TaipeiWednesay, August 202510:30WKB Field 2Cuba – China 2611:30WKB Main FieldNetherlands – Republic of Korea 2718:00WKB Field 2Canada – Chinese Taipei 2819:00WKB Main FieldJapan – USA Thursday, August 21 REST DAY FINAL ROUND DATE GAMETIMEFIELDGAMEFriday, August 222910:30WKB Main FieldSEMIFINAL Game: 1st-4th3018:00WKB Main FieldSEMIFINAL Game: 2nd – 3rdSaturday, August 233110:30WKB Main FieldBRONZE MEDAL Game: Loser 29 – Loser 30(*)3218:00WKB Main FieldGOLD MEDAL Game: Winner 29 – Winner 30(*) 21:25WKB Main FieldMedal ceremony
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