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Softball Olympic Games 2020 - Official Payoff

100 days to Tokyo Olympics: Cat Osterman tells WBSC podcast she's honoured softball will be first sport played

100 days to Tokyo Olympics: Cat Osterman tells WBSC podcast she's honoured softball will be first sport played
12/04/2021
The USA Softball legend talked about the Tokyo 2020 opening day, among other things, during the first edition of The Global Game, the new WBSC podcast.

In exactly 100 days, the world will see the Australian and Japanese Olympic Softball Teams open the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at 09:00 (local time) on 21 July at Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium, two days prior to the official Opening Ceremony. Game 2 will feature USA and Italy, and Cat Osterman, one of the biggest softball stars to ever play the sport, will be there wearing USA’s jersey.

The two-time Olympic medallist, who came out of retirement aiming to win her second gold medal and a third Olympic medal, was one of the featured guests on the first edition of the WBSC Podcast - The Global Game. Osterman spoke about softball’s much-awaited Olympic opener, among many other things.

“It’s a cool experience to be able to be the first sport that kicks off for the Olympics,” said Osterman, who’s made USA Softball’s Olympic roster for the third time. “I know we’re all looking forward to it. There’s a small bummer in the fact that it means we won’t be at the Opening Ceremony because we have to play. But at the same time, to be the sport that kicks off [the Olympics], all eyes will be on us and soccer to start that day, that week. It’s an honour in my opinion.”

The 37-year-old said some people might be surprised with sports being played days before the Opening Ceremony but Osterman is all in with the idea. “The Olympics start actually before they really start. And that’s us, we get to do that.”

No doubt that the first pitch of the Olympic softball competition in Fukushima will be an emotional moment for Japan and the sports world, being able to ultimately open the Olympic Games amid a pandemic, and doing it in Fukushima, a city that suffered a devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2011.

“I know we’re super excited to get over there [to the Olympics] regardless. But I also know this is going to be a special time and Japan's [organizing committee] is going to make it go off right.”

Osterman, who turns 38 on Friday, made it clear that she and her teammates will take pride in being able to take the field to send a strong message to the world: “You know what? Japan’s organising committee, along with everyone else, made this happen, and made dreams come true.”

The left-handed pitcher, who recalled to The Global Game host Tyler Maun her first ever pitch at the 2004 Athens game, recognises the Games are something bigger than just athletes and sports. And even more so this summer in Japan.

“They have great pride, and not egotistical pride, but great pride in making sure that this goes off [successfully], to show 'hey, we can overcome things together as a group of global athletes and global organisations, coming together to do this.'”

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- WBSC Podcast: Softball opening Tokyo Olympics will send world a message of hope, says President Fraccari
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Osterman opens the first episode of the WBSC Podcast - The Global Game, which also features former MLB All-Star Ian Kinsler, who will be playing for Israel at the Tokyo Games, and WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari.

The Global Game is produced in English and Spanish on a monthly base covering all the exciting stories and personalities, which make baseball and softball one of the most popular sports around the world.

The Global Game