Freeman, who is now part of the Australian Air Force, claimed silver at Athens 2004 and bronze at Beijing 2008 and is hoping she will be able to see her specialist sport at the Australian Olympics.

"It would be phenomenal to have softball at the Brisbane Olympics," she told a magazine of the Australian Olympic Committee.

"Everyone still talks about how amazing the Sydney Games were.

"Queensland has long been one of the most dominant softball states."

She added: "Every game would be sold out, there would always be such an incredible atmosphere, and as a team sport, it would provide so many opportunities for young people and have such an impact on their lives."

Softball and baseball made a successful comeback at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where Australia finished fifth in the softball standings, following 13 years away from the Games.

The sport has been dropped for Paris and there remains hope that it returns once again for Los Angeles 2028 due to it being a major sport in the United States.

Freeman, a former catcher who hit 0.273 with a homer and two runs batted in at Athens 2004, believes that staging softball will have a large impact on the young generation.

"For the young kids coming up to have that carrot dangled in front of them to play in front of their friends, their family, would be out of this world.

"It would be absolutely awesome for the sport and it’d keep those younger kids involved and give them something to aspire to."