2008 will also be the last year for softball, as a sport, in the Olympic games.

Ms Morrow, daughter of Trevor Morrow of Darke Peak, has been training for several months in Italy following a year off from the sport for a knee reconstruction.

She flew out to join her teammates in China last week and played her first game on Tuesday, August 12, against Japan - a loss -before facing the USA yesterday and China today, in Game 9.

Ms Morrow was the only Australian named in the all-star team at the Canada Cup recently – the world’s biggest softball competition outside the Olympics – where Australia came second this year.

Simmone Morrow grew up in Darke Peak until age 12, when she moved to Adelaide with her mother and brother.

The 31-year-old began playing softball at age 15 on the suggestion of a friend and also played beach and indoor volleyball at a state level.

She now has two Olympic medals to her credit in softball – a bronze and a silver from Athens in 2004, and now has her eye set on a gold in the sport’s final Olympic year.

But for proud dad Trevor Morrow – it’s all become a little commonplace.

“When she first got picked for the Olympic team in the 90s I was stoked – but the novelty’s worn off now. This is her third Olympics after all,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to seeing more of it on the internet hopefully this year because it doesn’t get much coverage on television. There’s not a lot of coverage of the sport unfortunately.

“Simmone has been in the top Australian team for 12 years – there’s only a few girls ahead of her who’ve got more caps for Australia at international matches, even after having a year off.”