China will start its Olympic Softball Tournament journey against the Netherlands on Aug. 12, as the schedule was released Tuesday by the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games.

The eight participating teams are host China, World Softball Championship winner the United States, silver medalist Japan, bronze medalist Australia, fifth placer Canada, Asian-Oceanian champion Chinese Taipei, European-African champion the Netherlands and Pan-American champion Venuzuela.

The U.S. team has won three Olympic gold medals. Japan got a silver and bronze in the recent two Olympic Games, so did Australia.

China will compete for at least a medal in the Beijing Olympics since it won the Olympic silver medal in 1996.

The eight teams will play in round-robin format and the top four will progress to the semifinals. The final match will be on Aug. 21.

(Xinhua News Agency June 18, 2008)