Japanese Women’s Softball team ready for Olympic gold

(BEIJING, June 23) -- After winning silver and bronze and finishing in the quarterfinals in the last three Olympics, the Japanese Women's Softball team is now ready for the finish that has eluded them: gold. And with softball not be part of the 2012 London Olympics, this may be the last chance for the team to get it.

At the 1996 Atlanta Games, where softball was first introduced to the Olympics, the Japanese team lost to Australia and finished fourth. At the 2000 Sydney Games, they made it to the finals but were upset by America and settled for silver. At the Athens Games four years later, they beat their former rival Australia, but finished third.

Much of the team's hope for the Beijing Olympic rests on the shoulders of pitcher Ueno Yukiko, who has the world's fastest delivery at 120km/h and has been working hard to develop a consistent change-up. "I don't want to leave regret behind in Beijing." she said.