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The 2025 IWBF Asia Oceania Championships came to a thrilling finish in Bangkok, delivering nine days of exceptional wheelchair basketball that determined regional titles, World Championship qualification places, and All-Star honours across both the men’s and women’s competitions.
The Championships showcased the depth, growth, and competitiveness of the Asia Oceania Zone, with standout performances from established powerhouses and several emerging national programmes.
World Championship Qualification Confirmed
The Championships served as an official qualification pathway to Ottawa 2026, with top-performing teams earning direct spots and the next ranked nations securing berths in the Repechage tournaments.
Teams Qualified Directly to the 2026 IWBF World Championships
Men: Australia, Japan
Women: China, Japan
Repechage Qualification
Four additional teams earned the last chance to fight for their place on the world stage through the 2026 IWBF Repechage Events:
Men: Iran, Korea
Women: Australia, Thailand
Women’s Competition: China Crowned Champions
China once again demonstrated their regional dominance, securing the women’s title with a series of composed and commanding performances. Japan claimed the silver medal after a strong tournament, while Australia finished with bronze.
One of the standout stories of the Championships came from Thailand, who topped Division B and earned promotion into the Division A semi-finals - ultimately finishing inside the top four and securing a Repechage place for 2026.
Final Women’s Standings
- China
- Japan
- Australia
- Thailand
- Cambodia
- Iran
- Laos
- Philippines
- India
Women’s All-Stars – 2025 IWBF Asia Oceania Championships
- 1.0–1.5: Hannah Dodd (AUS)
- 2.0–2.5: Amane Yanagimoto (JPN)
- 3.0–3.5: Natnapa Ponin (THA)
- 4.0–4.5: Chihiro Kitada (JPN)
TISSOT MVP – Tonglei Zhang (CHN)
Men’s Competition: Australia Claim the Title
Australia capped off a dominant campaign by claiming the men’s title undefeated, finishing the tournament with a perfect 8–0 record, defeating Japan in a thrilling championship game. Iran completed the podium with a bronze medal thanks to consistent performances throughout the week.
Division 2 produced significant milestones, as Iraq and Kuwait topped their group, advancing to the quarter-finals and continuing their upward trajectory within the zone.
Final Men’s Standings
- Australia
- Japan
- Iran
- Korea
- Thailand
- Iraq
- China
- Kuwait
- Philippines
- Afghanistan
- New Zealand
- Chinese Taipei
- Saudi Arabia
- India
Men’s All-Stars – 2025 IWBF Asia Oceania Championships
Five athletes, five exceptional tournaments - introducing the Men’s All-Stars.
- 1.0–1.5: Adisak Kaoboo (THA)
- 2.0–2.5: Renshi Chokai (JPN)
- 3.0–3.5: Amirreza Ahmadi (IRN)
- 4.0–4.5: Seung Hyun Cho (KOR)
TISSOT MVP – Jaylen Brown (AUS)
Note: Adisak Kaoboo is not pictured — his award was collected on his behalf.
A Landmark Championship for the Asia Oceania Zone
The 2025 IWBF Asia Oceania Championships highlighted the competitive strength and promising development across the region. With both World Championship and Repechage positions now confirmed, the event has set the stage for an exciting build-up to Ottawa 2026.
The performances in Bangkok reaffirmed Asia Oceania’s growing influence on the global stage and showcased the athletes, teams, and programmes driving the sport forward.
Photo Credit: X-1/IWBF
