The 2024 Paris Olympics women’s rugby sevens tournament concluded with a series of dramatic matches and historic achievements. New Zealand’s Black Ferns 7s secured their second consecutive Olympic gold medal, defeating Canada 19-12 in the final. This victory cements New Zealand’s dominance in the sport, having won gold in Tokyo 2020 and silver in Rio 2016.The United States women’s rugby sevens team made history by winning their first-ever Olympic medal, a bronze, with a stunning 14-12 comeback victory over Australia. With seconds remaining and trailing 12-7, Alex Sedrick scored a try and converted the kick to secure the win. The victory sparked jubilant celebrations, with players like Sammy Sullivan and Ilona Maher expressing their emotions as Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ played over the stadium speakers.Canada’s silver medal performance marked an improvement from their bronze in the 2016 Rio Olympics. The Canadian team, led by tries from Chloe Daniels and Alysha Corrigan, gave New Zealand a tough challenge in the final. Despite the loss, Canada’s journey to the final included notable victories over France in the quarterfinals and Australia in the semifinals.The tournament also saw other noteworthy performances and outcomes. Australia’s Maddison Levi broke records by scoring 14 tries throughout the competition. France, who had high hopes after their men’s team won gold, finished fifth after a surprising quarterfinal exit. The competition’s final standings saw Britain and Ireland taking seventh and eighth places respectively, while Japan secured ninth place with a win over Brazil.
Key points
- New Zealand won gold in women’s rugby sevens, defeating Canada 19-12 in the final.
- The US women’s team won their first-ever Olympic medal in rugby sevens, a bronze, with a dramatic 14-12 victory over Australia.
- Canada improved from their 2016 bronze to win silver, marking their second Olympic medal in the sport.
- The tournament featured notable performances, including Australia’s Maddison Levi breaking the try-scoring record with 14 tries.
