US women’s rugby wins first-ever medal after late heroics at Paris Olympics

AUSTIN (KXAN) — With time ticking away in the second half and medal aspirations dwindling, the U.S. women’s rugby team wouldn’t be denied Tuesday.

Trailing 12-7 with 1:35 remaining, the U.S.’ Alex Sedrick dashed nearly the length of the field as time expired for the match-tying try, and then she knocked the short conversion attempt through the uprights for a historic 14-12 victory over Australia for the bronze medal. It’s the first-ever medal for the U.S. in women’s rugby.

Sedrick’s long run came off a pass from Ariana Ramsey following a restart after a tackle. Sedrick ran through an arm tackle by one Australian defender and then bulldozed her way by two others, breaking into the open field with around five seconds remaining. The second-half substitute sped about 95 meters to the try zone, diving over the line and touching the ball down between the goalposts to tie the match at 12-12.

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Her conversion kick from five meters straight away with no time left ended the match and lifted the Eagles to the win. Women’s rugby was added to the Olympic program in 2016 with the U.S. finishing in fifth place. The U.S. finished sixth at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Ilona Maher, the U.S. center who starred throughout the Olympic tournament, said this was redemption after a quarterfinal loss in the Tokyo Games that kept them out of medal contention.

“This one was for my family,” she said. “They knew what I went through after the last Olympics and how broken I was after losing. They know it better than anyone, so I did it for them. They keep me grounded.”

U.S. scrumhalf Alena Olsen was on the sideline while the incredible play unfolded, and she said through tears that she “didn’t even know what happened.”

“It just doesn’t seem real,” she said. “We knew we could it … and we took it moment by moment and defied the odds. I never thought I’d get a bronze medal. We put ourselves out there for heartbreak, but that’s the only way you can get joy like this.”

Alex Kelter scored the first try for the U.S. near the end of the first half, and her conversion afterward tied the match at 7-7 heading into halftime. Australia’s Maddison Levi put her team ahead with a late try, but the missed conversion by Tia Hinds ended up being the difference after Sedrick’s heroic sprint.

Olsen said even after the Aussies scored so late, she didn’t lose hope.

“There was still 1:30 left on the clock. There was still time,” she said. “You’re just holding on to the next moment. There’s always a chance until the seconds are out.”

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