Basketball star Rui Machida, who helped lead Japan to its first ever Olympic medal in the sport at the Tokyo Games in 2021, is fighting for a ticket to this summer's Paris Games.
The 31-year-old point guard for the Fujitsu Red Wave in the Women's Japan Basketball League, or W League, was selected as one of 23 candidates for the national team heading to the Paris Games.
With many rivals jockeying for a spot on the 12-member roster, her selection is far from certain.