OLYMPIC DREAM WAS PUT ON HOLD

Chula Vistan was set to have been catcher for Mexico this July

Nothing Sashel Palacios is doing these days is what she thought she would be doing at this time.

Confined at home in Chula Vista like most Americans trying to fight the coronavirus outbreak with social distancing, she passes the time by continuing her training, even playing catch with her dad.

Clearly, this is not the spring and summer she was expecting.

Palacios, a 5-foot-3 catcher on the Mexican National Team, should be within weeks of her dream stop of playing in the Olympics.

That moment in July as Mexico was to make its first softball appearance was put on hold when the games in Tokyo were postponed until July 2021.

“Everyone is a little bummed out, especially after winning the qualifying tournament in Canada,” said Palacios, who played for Arizona State before being drafted onto the Mexican National Team. “This virus has thrown everything into chaos.

“It’s kind of given me a moment of clarity. My grandparents live 15 minutes away from us and I can’t go see them. That’s a humbling experience.

“Thank God for texting and Facetime and Zoom so we can all stay in touch.”

Meanwhile, the rest of the world waits for life to restart.

So does the Mexican team, now slated to begin its Olympic experience July 23, 2021, providing the Olympics are not scuttled again.

Olympic officials already have stated another postponement will cause the games to be permanently shelved.

At 24, Palacios would be nearly 29 for the next Olympics.

“My dad keeps saying that if it’s dangerous to go to Japan, I wouldn’t be going

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