Summer Olympic Sports >>Softball

ABOUT

There is little soft about Olympic softball.  One pitch at Atlanta (1996 Games) was clocked at 118 kilometers per hour (73.3 mph).  The pitcher stands 13.1 meters (43 feet) from the batter, throwing a softball that is 30.4cm (12 inches) in circumference.  The batter’s reaction time is a matter of mere seconds!

COMPETITION

Eight teams compete at the Olympic Games in the discipline of women's fast pitch.  The host country automatically has a spot because they are the host team, and the other seven teams qualify through world championships and various regional Olympic Qualifiers.

The teams compete in a single pool, playing each of the other seven once.  The top four teams advance to the semi-finals, with the first-placed team playing the second-placed team and the third playing the fourth.  The loser between teams 1 and 2 then plays the winner between teams 3 and 4, with that winner playing the winner between teams 1 and 2 for the championship.

LIST OF EVENTS

• Softball Women