15 greatest upsets in Summer Olympic history

2. Japan’s Women Softball team shocks the United States

The 2008 Summer Olympics were the last Games that had the sport of softball in them. It would also be the scene of the most legendary upset in Olympic softball history, as Japan knocked off defending champion United States 3-1 in the final.

It was voted to take softball and baseball out of the Olympics in 2005, as the events were not that competitive. The United States ruled softball at the Olympics, winning all three gold medals in the history of the sport (1996, 2000, 2004). In fact, heading into the finale, the United States had lost only four preliminary games in their Olympic history.

Due to the way the tournament is bracketed, the game was actually the third time the two countries met in this Olympics alone. The U.S. beat Japan 9-0 in the group phase, and then beat them again to advance to the finals. After Japan beat Australia for a chance to face the United States in the finals, the scene was set for the greatest upset in the history of the sport.

Japan silenced the United States’ bats to the tune of 3-1 victory, ending the U.S. Olympic reign, and giving Japan the last gold medal ever awarded in the sport. Yukiko Ueno was by far the most valuable player for Japan, as the fireballer threw 21 innings over two days to seal her country’s gold medal.

Next: 1. 1972: The Soviets 'earn' hoops gold