Leigh Godfrey and Leah Parry selected in a 15-strong Olympic Softball Team for Tokyo as the sport makes its return for the first Games since Beijing 2008.
Selection has been a long time coming for Parry who narrowly missed out on selection for the Beijing Games. After taking several years away from the sport, she returned to the national team in 2019 and helped Australia qualify fore the Games. The decision proved to be the right one with the second baser now off to her first Olympic Games.
Godfrey has been a stalwart of the Spirit since 2010 and her experience in the outfield will be a vital weapon to the team as they chase a medal.
The Aussie Spirit, will compete in the first event of the entire Games, when they face Japan on the morning of 21 July in Fukushima to open the Tokyo 2020 Olympic competition.
Training and competing in Japan since June, the Spirit were the first overseas team to arrive in the country ahead of the Games, getting invaluable competition against Japanese professional teams and the Japanese national squad.
“This is a fantastic day for these 15 players and softball in Australia,” said Chef de Mission for the Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo Ian Chesterman. “This is a dream 13 years in the making, to make this Australian Olympic Team as softball makes its Olympic return for the first time since Beijing in 2008.”
“This team has shown enormous grit and drive to not only qualify for the Games but to be as ready as they can be come July. Without access to international competition in Australia, the players have been training and competing in Japan under strict protocols to make sure they can be ready to step onto the Olympic arena in Fukushima. It has taken an incredible commitment from each and every one of them.
“With the potential for local crowds and Japan’s enthusiasm for softball, I’m sure these players will enjoy a fantastic atmosphere in Japan and will have millions of Australians cheering them on from back home.”
