A day to remember at Youth Olympic Sports Park Gymnasium in Nanjing: Junior inline hockey world celebrates the victory of France in Junior Men, to confirm the value of french develop program. But most of all, a new member joins the exclusive gold club: with his success in Junior Women, Chinese Taipei is the first Asian nation to win the most wanted medal and hoist the World Cup. Spain and Italy complete the Junior Men podium. Italy (silver) and New Zealand (bronze) won medals in Junior Women. Senior Men tournament has started: rivarly game between Canada and Usa was a tie.

JM: France – Spain  5-0 (1-0)

It was 2014 when “les blues” took the gold in Junior Hockey for the first time. They did it again in Nanjing, defeating Spain 5-0: they took the lead in the first period with their top player Kerkhove. A tally that changed the momentum. France built his victory in those 20 minutes, with a great team effort and a solid goaltending. Spain had more scoring chances but can't find a way to the net. The spanish worked hard, but French snipers had more shooting accuracy: Boitard scored maybe the most important goal of the day. Outscored by 2 goals, the Spanish started to lose confidence. Final minutes were Kerkhove's territory again: french number 9 got an hat-trick. Renou closed it. It's time to party for the red, white and blue. Spain took his first silver medal in Junior Men Hockey.

Italy – Czech Republic 6-2 (3-1)

Bronze game was a remake of last year final: this time, versus Czech Republic, Italy won. But the Italians have some regrets for sure. That shoot-out lost versus France in the semifinal was a real upset. Anyway, a medal is a medal. They reset their mind and won with no discussion. Puck control and quality shooting made the difference. Italy established his supremacy in the first ten minutes with two power play goals. Czechs had to chase, scored the first one, but never really changed the game's momentum. After 40 minutes the score was 6-2. For the first time since 2008, Czech Republic didn't get any medal in Junior Men.

JW: Italy – Chinese Taipei  1-2 (0-1)

Congratulations Chinese Taipei! And welcome to the golden club. Well deserved, for sure. In the final game, Asian girls played their match with smartness. Pressure was on the italian side, favourite on paper, but maybe a little bit nervous for the historic appointment. Taipei scored in the first period and never lost control of the game. They scored again, but Italy finally found the net. In the last ten minutes Italy pushed hard but a bad penalty just before the end killed any chance. It's another silver for Italy, still in wait for the last step. It's a glory day for Chinese Taipei. Tears of joy, tears of sadness. That's sport.

New Zealand – Australia 2-1 OT (1-0)

Close game for the bronze. New Zealand had to fight to beat underdog Australia. It was a sudden death goal, less than two minutes from a shoot-out conclusion. Fuller the scorer. Australian girls can be proud: they played their best game in the final. For New Zealand is the first medal at World's level.

Results, schedules, rankings:

JUNIOR MEN FINALS

(GOLD) France – Spain  5-0 (1-0)

Score: 4.22 Kerkhove (F), 25.48 Boitard (F), 36.31 Kerkhove (F), 39.24 Kerkhove (F), 39.55 Renou (F).

Line-ups: 

France: Ginier (Pasquier), Boitard, Coquema, Kerkhove, Faucherand, Discazaux, Sautereau, Godano, Bellotte, Samyn, Hornbeck, Charreau, Gonzalez, Perez, Renou.

Spain: Gallego (Torres), Berlanga, Romero, Aguirre, Edo, Rabinal, Hernandez, de Mendoza, Bikandi, Fernandez, Martinez, Tomas, Garcia.

(BRONZE) Italy – Czech Republic 6-2 (3-1)

Score: 6.53 Gatti (I), 8.28 Vendrame (I), 17.55 Zdrahal (C), 18.33 Berthod (I), 28.54 Vendrame (I), 31.08 Mikulec (C), 32.25 Gatti (I), 39.16 Dal Ben (I).

Line-ups

Italy: Frigo (Olando); Letizia, Vendrame, Berthod, Raccanelli, Gatti, Battistella, Rosso, Campulla, Longhini, Dal Ben, Biondi, Sica.

Czech Republic: Kral (Hauser); Kvapil, Dubsky, Petrus, Marek, Jary, Mikulec, Martinek, Novotny, Budil, Zdrahal, Netusil, Galetka, Blaha, Detksy.

JUNIOR WOMEN FINALS

(GOLD) Italy – Chinese Taipei  1-2 (0-1)

Score: 19.36 Chia-Yin Li (T), 24.12 Hsin-Ni Pan (T), 28.13 Dalla Bà (I).

Line-ups

Italy: Pompanin, Biondi; Faravelli, Bisi, Cipriani, Dalla Bà, Guazzi, Mafucci, Piccinini, Pol, Roccella, Terelle

Chinese Taipei: Lin, Chen. Hsieh, Huang, Lin, Tung, Chang, Huang, Huang, Pan, Hsu, Wang, Mou, Ho, Lin, Wu

(BRONZE) New Zealand – Australia 2-1 OT (1-0)

Score: 3.18 Jensen (N), 24.20 Daniels (A), 48.44 Fuller (N)

Line-ups

New Zealand: Fox, Forbes; Studer, Vermal, Lovell, Jensen, Kivell, Campton, Eddy, Fuller, Turia. 

Australia: Simeon; Le Cren, Fitzpatrick, Chenoweth, Biggin, Carbone, Daniels, Carle, Turner, White, Conley.

SENIOR MEN RESULTS

Pool C: Sweden – Korea 10-0

Pool C: Germany – China 6-1

Pool B: Switzerland – France 3-7

Pool B: Italy – Argentina 3-1

Pool A: Czech Republic  - Latvia 9-0

Pool E: Spain – Hong Kong 1-0 (FORFEIT)

Pool A: Usa – Canada 2-2

Pool E: Colombia – Brazil 1-1

Pool D: Chinese Taipei – Japan 4-6

Pool D: Macao – India 11-1

SENIOR MEN SCHEDULE (4 SEP.)

8.20am Pool C Colombia – Hong Kong 1-0 (FORFEIT)

8.20am Pool E Brazil - Spain

9.40am Pool D Macao – Japan

11.00am Pool D India – Chinese Taipei

3pm Pool A Usa – Latvia

3pm Pool C Germany - Korea

4.20pm Pool A Canada – Czech Republic

4.20 pm Pool C China – Sweden

5.40 Pool B France - Argentina

7pm Pool B Switzerland - Italy

Pool A: Czech Republic, Latvia, Usa, Canada

Pool B: Switzerland, France, Italy, Argentina

Pool C: Sweden, Korea, Germany, China

Pool D: Chinese Taipei, Japan, Macao, India

Pool E: Spain, Hong Kong, Colombia, Brazil

SENIOR WOMEN RESULTS (3 SEP.)

8.20am Pool B: Spain – New Zealand 6-2

9.40am Pool C: Czech Republic – India 14-2

1.40pm Pool B: Usa  - China 21-1

5.40pm Pool C: France – Argentina 5-0

SENIOR WOMEN SCHEDULE (4 SEP.)

9.40am Pool B Spain - China

11am Pool B New Zealand - Usa

12.20am Pool C India - France

12.20am Pool A  Italy – Korea

1.40pm  Pool C Czech Republic – Argentina

1.40pm Pool A Australia – Canada

Pool A : Italy , Korea , Australia , Canada

Pool B: Spain, China, New Zealand, Usa

Pool C: France, India, Czech Republic, Argentina

JUNIOR MEN FINAL RANKING  

1- France
2- Spain
3- Italy
4- Czech Republic
5- Sweden
6- Colombia
7- Usa
8- Switzerland
9- Canada
10- Great Britain
11- Namibia
12- New Zealand
13 – Germany
14 – Korea
15 – Chinese Taipei
16 – Australia
17 – India

JUNIOR WOMEN FINAL RANKING

1- Chinese Taipei
2 – Italy
3- New Zealand
4- Australia
5 - India

(photo credit: Marco Guariglia)