China beat Australia to retain their women’s title on the penultimate day of action at the 2017 IWBF Asia Oceania Championships in Beijing ©IWBF/Twitter

China beat Australia to retain their women’s title on the penultimate day of action at the 2017 International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) Asia Oceania Championships in Beijing.

The hosts triumphed 57-46 to the delight of the home crowd at the Chinese Paralympic Training Venue.

Australia led 32-31 going into the final quarter, but it was China who ultimately prevailed.

This was thanks in part to 13 points and seven re-bounds from Xuemei Zhang. 

Xiaolian Huang and Guidi Lyu added 11 points each. 

By reaching the final, both teams had already qualified for the 2018 World Championships in German city Hamburg.

Japan defeated Iran 76-19 in the bronze medal match.

Iran are through to the men's final ©IWBF/Twitter
Iran are through to the men's final ©IWBF/Twitter

Also held today were the men’s semi-finals, as reigning champions Australia overcame South Korea 81-50 and Iran edged Japan 80-76.

The final between Australia and Iran, which is a repeat of the 2015 gold medal match, is scheduled to take place tomorrow.

It will be preceded by the bronze medal match between Japan and South Korea.

Before that, Thailand will face China in the fifth-place play-off and Hong Kong will go up against Iraq in the seventh-place play-off.

Thailand beat Hong Kong 51-33 today, while China defeated Iraq 80-33.

Chinese Taipei overcame Kuwait 66-49 in the ninth-place play-off after New Zealand had beat the United Arab Emirates 60-42 in the 11th-place play-off.