Like two of her team mates - Yukiko Ueno and Yukiyo Mine - Japanese softball star Eri Yamada had to wait 13 years before being able to claim a follow-up win to her Olympic gold medal performance at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games was the defining moment when Japan defended their Olympic title, beating USA in the gold medal game in a repeat of the Beijing final.
Today, speaking during the inaugural WBSC U-15 Softball World Cup, staged in Tokyo in October as part of the legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Yamada said she is pleased that the current generation don't have to wait as long following the announcement that baseball and softball will feature on the LA28 sports programme, seven years after Japan's Olympic gold medal success at Tokyo in 2021.
“When I was a player, softball was excluded from two Olympic Games after the 2008 Olympics, and was then revived at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. It is a great achievement for the softball world and I felt that this news has significantly motivated softball players,” Yamada said. “The Tokyo Olympics were cheered on by many people and many children were able to watch it. Many people who watched the games must have been inspired to pursue becoming an Olympic athlete too," the Hiratsuka native added. "I am grateful that the dreams of these people have been kept alive and it’s amazing that younger athletes now have another opportunity to play.
Yamada stressed the importance of softball's Olympic future and emphasised the responsibility of the past, present and future generations to keep the level of competition high to increase its Olympic chances long term.
“Softball has been very popular since I was young, but the
attention it receives is different when it is played at the Olympics. The
number of people playing the sport also increases. Looking back in the past 20
years, the level of global softball has risen each year and the level has also
improved in different parts of the world, so I am looking forward to the
upcoming competitions.
“Softball has been in and out of the Olympic Games. In order
for it to remain at the Olympics and not be excluded from there, it needs to
develop more in the world. It is necessary to keep the level of softball at a
high level. So I would like all the players at LA28 to continue showing that
softball is fun.”
If Ueno’s pitching was symbolic to Japan's victories at Beijing 2008 and Tokyo 2020 then Yamada’s contribution on offence was equally significant having hit .344 including two home runs and driving in five at Beijing 2008 while claiming two runs and five hits at Tokyo 2020.
The three-time Olympic medallist (including a bronze medal a the Athens 2004 Olympic Games) and long-time professional announced her retirement in 2022, concluding a trailblazing career that made her one of Japan’s most decorated players, including being one of only three Japanese softball players to play at the professional level in the United States.
All of those achievements were earned, she said, with fewer platforms and opportunities during her career and applauded the WBSC's decision to stage new softball tournaments such as the U-15 Women's Softball World Cup and U-23 Men's Softball World Cup.
“I didn’t play softball when I was the same age as these participants in this U-15 tournament, but I think that being able to experience these international tournaments from junior high school or high school would have given me the opportunity to aim even higher,” Yamada said.
“It is really important to see the world from a young age. Players who are able to experience these opportunities will be able to grow even more in the future. The level of world softball will also improve accordingly,” the 39-year-old added.
For the upcoming tournaments like the Women’s Softball World
Cup and the Olympic Games, she believes that the road to greatness lies in the
dream and the hard work an individual puts into it.
“The Women’s Softball World Cup is a world competition, so
you will never know who will win unless you try. I was at the group stage as an
assistant coach and I felt that the level of all countries has improved since I
was playing. Of course, I want Japan to win, but I really don’t know who will
win.
“Softball will be back in the Olympics, so now there is
something to aim for. I believe that if you have a dream, you can work hard
towards it. I know there are many things that can go wrong and are very
challenging, but everyone needs to keep trying. Never give up, achieve things
little by little, and work hard towards that dream. Hang in there, I am
cheering for you.”
