Ren Min turns Olympic heartbreak into motivation in Oklahoma City; aims to reach LA28 berth
Ren Min turns Olympic heartbreak into motivation on China’s road to LA28 - World Baseball Softball Confederation - wbsc.org
Ren Min turns Olympic heartbreak into motivation on China’s road to LA28
Ren Min still remembers the tears. In 2019, China entered the Olympic softball qualifier hoping to secure a place at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. They fell short, and for Ren, then already part of the national team, the disappointment was difficult to process.
“ I cried a lot,” Ren recalled. “Playing in the Olympic Games is the ultimate dream for every athlete. I hope that one day I can stand on the Olympic stage.”
Seven years later, that ambition remains. But much has changed around Ren and the Chinese national team.
Now competing at the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup 2026 Group Oklahoma City at Devon Park, Ren is part of a Chinese side pursuing not only qualification for the 2027 World Cup Finals, but a longer-term objective: returning China to the Olympic softball tournament at Los Angeles 2028.
For Ren, there is an added significance to playing in Oklahoma City. Devon Park will host the LA28 Olympic softball competition in less than two years, giving every game this week a glimpse of what China ultimately hopes to achieve.
Ren believes China are now better equipped to compete with the leading teams in international softball.
“ We are working hard to close the gap,” she said when asked about USA and Japan. “I think we can challenge them. We will continue to train as hard as we can.”
That confidence has been built over years with the national team. The 26-year-old slugger has spent eight years within the programme and has seen China develop into an increasingly competitive side.
She points to the Netherlands as an example of that progress. China struggled against the European powerhouse in the past, she said, but recent results have strengthened the team’s belief.
“ We couldn’t beat the Netherlands before, but now we are getting better,” Ren said after beating the European side, 3-2, in extras. “Everyone is becoming more resilient and fighting harder.”
Behind that improvement, she says, is a demanding training culture. Ren described a group committed to softball throughout the day, referencing the philosophy of head coach Itsushi Fukuda and the work being done as China looks towards the next stage of its international development.
“I think everyone is working very hard. We get up very early every day. With Coach Fukuda’s idea of ‘24-hour training’, we are all working very hard, and now we are getting better and better,” she explained.
The same commitment applies to China’s pitching staff. As one of the team’s catchers (even when she’s playing mainly as DH in Oklahoma City), Ren sees their work from the other side every day in training.
“ They work very hard and train a lot every day,” she said. “They have been preparing for this moment, so I think they deserve these results.”
Ren’s own journey began far from the international softball stage. As a child, she was involved in athletics at school and was noticed by a coach after running well at a school sports meeting. That moment eventually led her towards softball and, years later, the Chinese national team.
Now one of China’s experienced players, she finds herself pursuing the opportunity that escaped her in 2019.
The path to LA28 remains long. This week in Oklahoma City is one step along that road, with China competing against some of the teams they may have to overcome if they are to return to the Olympic stage.
But when Ren was asked whether she could picture herself back at Devon Park in two years, this time as an Olympian, there was little hesitation.
“ I definitely can,” she said. “I will stand on this field again.”
Categories: Slideshow news , Softball , WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Group Oklahoma City 2026 , Women’s Softball , Women’s Softball World Cup
Seven years after China missed out on Tokyo 2020, the power hitter believes her team is closing the gap with the world’s best as she pursues her Olympic dream.