The City of Surrey will play host to the softball Olympic qualifier tournament this year.
Last August, Surrey was chosen by Softball Canada as the country91裸聊视频檚 bid city for the 2019 Americans qualifier 91裸聊视频� which will determine two of six berths for the women91裸聊视频檚 softball tournament at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) announced on Twitter Sunday that the 2019 Americas qualifier tournament is to be held Aug. 25 to Sept. 1 in the city.
chairman Greg Timm told Peace Arch News Sunday that Canada was up against Mexico and Colombia to host the tournament, but Canada was selected despite the fact that two of the competing countries had more money on the table.
91裸聊视频淭hey had lots of money, far more than we have,91裸聊视频� Timm said. 91裸聊视频淚 think this is an acknowledgement to the fact that in this town, our volunteers are good organizers. The world association has a lot of trust that we will do what we say and we will comply with everything we bid on.91裸聊视频�
Timm said that trust played a major role in the decision.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e become internationally known to be a great host. Sometimes those are the stories that aren91裸聊视频檛 told about Surrey, quite honestly. We have a great reputation for hosting teams fairly. We don91裸聊视频檛 cook the books here, we don91裸聊视频檛 cheat, we don91裸聊视频檛 manipulate results, umpires are fair, and the truth happens in our tournament.
91裸聊视频淭he best team wins, and that91裸聊视频檚 what sport is about.91裸聊视频�
Softball is returning to the Olympics after being discontinued as a medal sport since 2008.
The return of softball to the Olympics, Timm said, is huge.
91裸聊视频淚t is an amateur sport, so money matters,91裸聊视频� Timm said. 91裸聊视频淲hen you91裸聊视频檙e an Olympic sport, you get government funding, sponsorship funding. When you91裸聊视频檙e a non-Olympic sport, you91裸聊视频檙e not recognized, really, at the national level,91裸聊视频� he said.
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The Europe-Africa qualifier tournament is to be held in the Netherlands July 23-28 and the Asia-Oceania qualifier tournament is to be held in China Sept. 24-29.
As the host country, Japan is guaranteed a spot in the 2020 games, and the United States has secured a spot after winning the world championships.
Currently, Canada is ranked third in the world for women91裸聊视频檚 softball, and the first- and second-place finishers of the 2019 Americans qualifier tournament will play in the 2020 Tokyo games.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a big deal for our sport. I don91裸聊视频檛 know, can you name another summer Olympic sport where Canada is ranked that high?91裸聊视频� Timm said.
91裸聊视频淲e think it91裸聊视频檚 the only Olympic qualifier, of any sport, on Canadian soil this year.91裸聊视频�
The WBSC91裸聊视频檚 bid-city announcement had been twice-delayed since Surrey was chosen as Canada91裸聊视频檚 entry late last summer. Originally, Timm told PAN that they expected to hear from the WBSC no later than mid-September. Due to delays within the WBSC, that deadline was then pushed until late November, and until Sunday, one day after the sports organization wrapped up meetings in Rome.
Timm agreed that the qualifier tournament is to be the most significant softball tournament in Surrey91裸聊视频檚 history.
91裸聊视频淲e held the world championships in 2016 and we shaped that to be all inclusive. We had countries that we knew weren91裸聊视频檛 going to win, but could participate. This has a lot more significance for Canada. This is a really important event,91裸聊视频� he said.
Timm said 16 countries from the Caribbean region, South America, North America and Central America will be invited.
91裸聊视频淲e are really excited about the chance to host this Olympic Qualifier, we thank the WBSC for the opportunity91裸聊视频� said Softball Canada President Kevin Quinn in a news release.
National team members, too, were excited with the weekend announcement.
Canadian pitcher Danielle Lawrie-Locke 91裸聊视频� a former White Rock Renegades star 91裸聊视频� tweeted Sunday that she was 91裸聊视频渟o excited to play in front of our HOME crowd! Especially my two little girls.91裸聊视频�
Surrey91裸聊视频檚 Holly Speers 91裸聊视频� another national team member 91裸聊视频� was also excited.
91裸聊视频淧laying on home soil for the Olympic qualifier91裸聊视频� it doesn91裸聊视频檛 get much better than that,91裸聊视频� she tweeted.
Playing on home soil for the Olympic qualifier... it doesn91裸聊视频檛 get much better than that 鉂わ笍馃嚚馃嚘
91裸聊视频� Holly Speers (@HollySpeers)
Softball Canada announced Surrey as its city-of-choice for its bid in August, highlighting the experience that the organizing committee 91裸聊视频� headed up by Timm 91裸聊视频� has in hosting previous international tournaments.
91裸聊视频淚 can tell you today that the guys in Ottawa are popping champagne corks,91裸聊视频� Timm said.
WBSC decision on dates and locations of Softball 馃 Qualifiers:
91裸聊视频� WBSC 鈿攫煡� (@WBSC)
馃實 Europe-Africa: Utrecht, Netherlands 馃嚦馃嚤23-28 July
馃寧 Americas: Surrey, Canada 馃嚚馃嚘 25 August - 1 September
馃審 Asia/Oceania: Shanghai, China 馃嚚馃嚦 24-29 September
