TPE 9-27 NED: Netherlands win World Korfball Championship to claim 11th title

After 82 matches through 10 days of international korfball, featuring 24 teams, the Netherlands secured their 11th title at the 12th World Korfball Championship in Taipei City, defeating the valiant host team, Chinese Taipei (9-27) in front of a capacity Taipei Gymnasium full of passionate supporters.c Chinese Taipei, appearing in their first World Championship final for the first time after sending perennial silver medalists Belgium to the play-off for third and fourth in an epic 21-19 semi final victory on Friday, fought hard to keep the Netherlands in reach, though by the final whistle, despite the enthusiasm of their supporters, their first world title remains out of reach.

📷 Marco Spelten @actiefotografie

Ya-Wen LIN scored in the first minute which sent the already very vocal crowd into a frenzy… could this be the year that the Netherlands’ dominance ends? Unfortunately for Chinese Taipei and their supporters team Netherlands scored the next four goals to stamp their authority on the match. At the end of the first quarter the score was 3-7 and by halftime the Netherlands had extended their advantage to 5-16.

📷 Marco Spelten @actiefotografie

The referees for the final were Steve Jones (WAL) and Kris Meeus (BEL) with Megan Frederickson (AUS) and Pradeep Dahiya (IND) as reserve referees. Head of the Jury for the Final was Marc Breugelmans (BEL). Belgium won the bronze medal match earlier in the day, defeating the Czech Republic 11-26.

📷 Marco Spelten @actiefotografie

New President of the IKF Gabi Kool, elected to the position yesterday, said… “This World Championship has truly been one for the history books. For the first time ever, an Asian team, Chinese Taipei, made it to the finals, showcasing the global growth and evolution of our sport. “Congratulations to the Netherlands, Chinese Taipei and Belgium for the medals won. Also, the hard-fought qualifications by Czech Republic, Surinam, Germany and Portugal for the 2025 World Games in Chengdu were spectacles in their own right. “Our athletes have shown themselves to be the true ambassadors of Korfball. Beyond showcasing their incredible skill, they illuminated the importance of teamwork, respect, and dedication. “Their role in propelling Korfball forward, especially in this fast-changing world, is paramount. With the memories, pride, and new friendships forged, they will continue to champion our sport’s global spirit as the true mixed gender sport.” IKF General Secretary and CEO, Joana Faria said: “I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the hundreds of volunteers who showed up each day to welcome both local and international korfball fans to the Taipei Gymnasium. Your enthusiasm and smiles were truly inspirational, and you played an integral role in making this event a huge success.” In today’s other games, Suriname comfortably defeated Germany for fifth place 10-26, while Portugal overcame England 13-19 to finish seventh.

All the matches on the final day of the IKF World Korfball Championship were broadcast live onto the IKF YouTube channel and live onto the International Olympic Committee’s website and app. We also shared our production with numerous international broadcasters with viewer numbers expected to be counted in their millions. The World Korfball Championship is a qualification event for The World Games 2025, which will take place in Chengdu China.

On social media you will find the image galleries of all games, together with the best clips, highlights and stories, visiting the official IKF profiles (see below) and via the hashtags #WKC2023 and #korfball:

IKF Official profiles:

youtube.com/IKFchannel

facebook.com/korfball.org

twitter.com/korfball

instagram.com/korfball_org

tiktok.com/@korfball.sport

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Photos: Marco Spelten