Before the opening of the Tokyo Olympics, the softball qualifying league was held from the 21st as the earliest competition.


Ace Yukiko Ueno was the starting pitcher for the important first match.


Ace, who led Japan to the long-sought gold medal at the Beijing tournament 13 years ago, will be 39 years old on the 22nd, the day after the match.


Since softball will not be held at the Paris tournament three years later, he is prepared to continue throwing at the Olympics, which will probably be the last for pitcher Ueno, saying, "I want to hit all my softball life into this tournament." Shown.

High correction power

In the first match of the Tokyo Olympics, the Japan Women's Softball National Team won cold with three two-run home runs.

Starting pitcher Yukiko Ueno struggled to get up on the big stage for the first time in 13 years, but showed a high level of correction.

Pitcher Ueno


"I was more excited than the sentiment that I hadn't seen in 13 years. I threw it too carefully once by suppressing it so that I wasn't too excited."

Pitcher Ueno gave the first goal by throwing out one foreball and two dead balls once, which greatly disturbed the control.


Since the international competition was not held for about two years due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection, the team usually attaches more importance to the data accumulated so far.

I tried to pitch carefully to the course against the Australian hitting line, which has a long hitting power.


As a result, the tough course was judged to be a ball, or it became a dead ball, and I was forced to drive myself.

Even so, I analyzed that the reason why I recovered was that I switched to pitching that was boldly aggressive after the second time with the correction power unique to veterans.


In the 2nd inning, he took 3 strikeouts in a row and threw up to 1 out in 5 innings, took 7 strikeouts, and showed further growth after a 13-year gap.

Ueno's starting lineup, Ueno's reason

It wasn't until the morning of the 21st that Reika Utsugi decided to leave the starting pitcher for the first match to pitcher Ueno.


Will it be entrusted to pitcher Yamato Fujita, who has been raising for five years after assuming the position of director?

Or do you leave it to Ace?

Director Utsuki expressed the reason why he finally decided to pitcher Ueno as follows.

Director Utsuki


"I had Ueno throw it for more than 20 years. No, it may be correct. Considering that Ueno was there and the dream of winning came true, I think that Ueno is the only start. was "



also Utsugi director has supported beside the Ueno pitcher when I was worried about whether to continue the competition.

He recalled that there was something to look up at the pitching at the Olympic Games after a long absence.



Director Utsuki


"When Ueno stood in the circle, I was very happy and wept in my heart. I've been watching Ueno's growth since I was 18 years old.

"Ueno game"

There are three pitchers representing Japan.

We asked Taeko Utsugi, a former Japan national team coach, about the appointment of pitchers for the remaining five games.

Taeko Utsugi


"I feel that one is a match for Ueno. Of course, Fujita and Goto are getting better now, so I think it's key to hire two people, but Ueno has all six games including today. You should be prepared to throw a



ball

. I think it will be centered around Ueno. ”

Softball

will not be

held at the next Paris tournament.

For this reason, it is probably the last Olympics for pitcher Ueno.

Ace, who is celebrating his 39th birthday on the 22nd, is ready to continue throwing.

Pitcher Ueno


"I have a strong feeling that I have finally returned to this stage. I want to hit all my softball life into this tournament."