Olympic dream still burns for Clare Warwick after 11 long years

But with her sport's return to the Olympic fold, she's confident of making it come true.

Australia has to win the qualifying tournament in China, which starts on Tuesday, to become the sixth and final team that will compete in Tokyo next year.

They've won a medal every time softball's been an Olympic sport - bronze three times and silver once.

The disappointment of missing out on being part of that bronze-winning team in 2008 has burned Warwick ever since.

"When I found out I was a reserve for 2008, it was made all the more disappointing knowing it was probably the last opportunity we would have to get to the Olympics," she said from Shanghai.

The 32-year-old thinks this could be her last shot at qualifying for the Olympics.

As it is for a lot of her teammates too.

"None of us has ever had the opportunity to even be in with a chance at qualifying for the Olympics," Warwick said.

"Olympic qualification would be a great opportunity for me and a lot of my teammates to finish our careers competing at the pinnacle of our sport."

Can they do it? She thinks they can.

Their toughest competition looks to come from Chinese Taipei, who they will play in their opening game on Tuesday.

They then face Indonesia and Hong Kong and need to finish in the top two of their group to progress to the super round.

There they would play the two teams from the other group and whoever has the best record between the four qualifies for the Olympics.

"I am confident we have done as much as we can to qualify for the Olympics," Warwick said.