[Alsfastball] Canada improves world ranking at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games

Fri Aug 20 15:39:19 EDT 2004

From: "Lisette Johnson-Stapley" <lstapley at softball.ca>
Subject: Canada improves world ranking at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games
Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2004 15:27:58 -0400

For immediate release

Friday August 20, 2004

Canada improves world ranking at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games

(Ottawa, ON)  Canada took 5th place at the 2004 Olympic Games in Greece 
today.  After their big win against Italy this morning, they were assured 
at least 6th place but it depended on other game results.  Canada lost 
their chance for playoff position when China lost to Japan this 
afternoon.  Japan's needed win gave them 3rd place leaving Canada and China 
to tie for 4th place.  But, because Canada lost to China earlier on in the 
tournament by a score of 4-2, Canada places 5th and China advances to the 
playoffs.  Given Canada's world ranking, this is Canada's best showing at 
the Olympic Games.  In Sydney in 2000, they were 8th and in 1996 in Atlanta 
they were also 5th.   Canada was ranked 7th in the world going into the 
Olympic Games and after the 2002 Olympic Qualifier - the ISF World 
Championships in Saskatoon, Canada was ranked 9th.

"Ultimately we were a few outs away from a playoff position and 3 wins and 
4 losses was not enough to get us into the medal round," stated Head Coach 
Mike Renney.  "A 6-point finish while improving our record over Sydney is 
still not where we wanted to put our sights.  We knocked of No. 2 world 
ranked Japan and lost to Australia 1-0 as well as battled China so we put 
forth a good showing and I am proud of our effort," added Renney.

Canada's Rachel Schill was 7th overall in batting averages.  Canada's 
Lauren Bay had the most strikeouts and the second most wins and earned run 
average of the preliminaries.

The semi-finals and Bronze Medal game will be held on Sunday August 
22nd.  China vs Japan at 9:30am* , USA vs Australia at12:00pm* and the 
Bronze Medal game at 5:00pm* (winner China vs Japan, loser takes 4th) vs 
(loser of USA vs Australia, winner goes directly to grand final on 
Monday)*.  The Gold Medal Grand Final on Monday.

* Athens time

Final Standings at 2000 Sydney Olympic Games:
Gold - USA

Silver - Japan

Bronze- Australia

4th - China

5th - Italy

6th - New Zealand

7th - Cuba

8th - Canada

Final Standings at 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games:
Gold - USA

Silver - China

Bronze - Australia

4th - Japan

5th - Canada

6th - NED

7th - PUR

Team Canada's profiles and stats as well as previous Olympic results and 
photos can be viewed on the Softball Canada website at 
<http://www.softball.ca>www.softball.ca.  For more information, please 
contact Lisette Johnson-Stapley, Marketing & Communications Director, 
Softball Canada at 613-795-1996 (Cel.) or 
<mailto:lstapley at softball.ca>lstapley at softball.ca or 613-523-3386 ext. 3105.

Lisette Johnson Stapley
Directrice du Marketing & Communications Director
Softball Canada
2197 Promenade Riverside Drive
Ottawa, ON  K1H 7X3
Tel. (613) 523-3386 ext. 3105
Fax/Telec. (613) 523-5761
<mailto:lstapley at softball.ca>lstapley at softball.ca *** www.softball.ca

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