‘Life changing moment’: U.S. women’s rugby claims historic Olympic medal behind Utahn Alex Sedrick’s full-field try

The odds looked long for the United States women’s rugby sevens team to earn the program’s first Olympic medal Tuesday when the Americans faced a long field and were trailing late against powerhouse Australia.

Enter Alex “Spiff” Sedrick, the Herriman, Utah, resident, to the rescue.

“One minute for the rest of her life, that’s a life changing moment for all of us and for rugby in America.”

U.S. prop Kristi Kirshe, on Alex Sedrick's game-tying try

Moments after Australia took a 12-7 lead with 85 seconds to play over the Americans in the bronze-medal match and with the U.S. in possession deep on their end of the field, Sedrick fought through a tackle attempt from a pair of defenders and broke off a run that spanned nearly the entire length of the field — with the clock running out — to score the game-tying try.

“One minute for the rest of her life, that’s a life changing moment for all of us and for rugby in America,” said U.S. prop Kristi Kirshe of that moment, according to NBC News . Kirshe was grateful Sedrick “took off the way she did.”

Sedrick then successfully kicked through the conversion, setting off cheers from the American contingent to seal the 14-12 United States victory.

“We knew they were going to kick deep, being ahead in points, so we just trusted our framework and power zone, we just had to go for it,” Sedrick said, in a USA Rugby press release .

It’s the first United States Olympic medal in rugby since the American men’s 15s team won gold in 1924, and the first for America in Olympic rugby sevens competition since the sport was introduced to the Olympics in 2016.

“I mean, I’ll give my first-born child to ‘Spiff’,” American teammate Ilona Maher said, according to ESPN . “It was crazy because I was like, ‘No, no way this is happening.’ And then for her to have to make the kick, as well — and she’s not our kicker.”

Sedrick isn’t typically the kicker for the United States, but her coaches told her pregame to be prepared to fill in based on potential substitutions in the bronze-medal match, ESPN reported.

She shanked two kicks during warmups, but not the one that mattered most. The 26-year-old Utah native said that the U.S. team’s psychologist constantly tells players to remain focused, and even accept self-doubt, no matter the situation.

“So it’s OK to be nervous, it’s OK to be scared, it’s OK to doubt yourself,” Sedrick said, per NBC News. “But as long as the next action you take is toward your goal, it’s going work out.”

After two big-time moments from Sedrick, the United States could celebrate its first rugby sevens medal.

“It’s really huge. I don’t even know if it has fully soaked in beating the best team in the world for a medal,” U.S. coach Emilie Bydwell said, in the team release. “To do it in such an excited fashion, with such belief, that has to be one of the best moments of the Olympics.”

The victory required a come-from-behind effort multiple times.

The Americans fell behind early in the bronze-medal match, when Australia’s Maddison Levi scored a try just over a minute into play. Following a successful conversion, Australia led 7-0.

The United States, though, knotted the game before halftime when Aliv Kelter added a try and successful conversion just before the break.

Levi put Australia back ahead with just under a minute and a half remaining until full-time, though, capitalizing on a quick reset.

That set the stage for Sedrick’s heroics.

“I mean, I’m just trying to channel my big girl, Ilona Maher, trying to just be like her to get downfield,” Sedrick said, per ESPN, referencing a viral clip of Maher trucking an opponent on a try earlier in the Olympics.

The fact the victory came against Australia, who entered the Olympics with the second-best odds to win gold and a 78.7% chance of medaling, according to Rugby Vision and RNZ.com , underscored the significance of America’s win.

“I think for us the most important thing was belief. We knew Australia is a hard team to beat, so going into that game believing that we can actually beat them and win a medal was the only outcome, and that’s what happened for us,” U.S. captain Naya Tapper said, per the team release.

Utah ties on the U.S. women’s rugby sevens teams

Sedrick isn’t the only Utah tie on the American team that will come home to the U.S. with a medal.

In addition to Sedrick, former BYU basketball player Stephanie Rovetti is a scrumhalf on the U.S. team.

“We’re starting to build a culture, building people that we want to be, leaving a legacy and building a brand of rugby in America that we keep proud of,” Rovetti said, per NBC News.

What happened in the Olympic women’s rugby sevens semifinals?

The United States found itself in the bronze-medal match after losing in the semifinals earlier Tuesday.

In the first semifinal of the day, the United States couldn’t keep pace with defending gold-medal champion New Zealand, losing 24-12.

Though the Americans struck first with a try from Kelter two and a half minutes in, Stacey Waaka scored her first of two tries just over two minutes later, setting off a run of 24 straight points from New Zealand.

Michaela Blyde also added a pair of tries in the second half, as New Zealand’s suffocating defense kept the United States’ attack in check until Kristi Kershe scored a late try with the outcome in hand.

In the day’s second semifinal, Canada, one day after knocking France out of the medal rounds, again pulled an upset against Australia, winning 21-12.

It didn’t look good for Canada in the early going, as Australia stormed out to a 12-0 lead before Canada closed within 12-5 heading into the half on a heads-up move by Charity Williams to score a try on a long run.

In the second half, Canada capitalized on its momentum, tying the score at 12-all on a try from Asia Hogan-Rochester, then taking the lead with the ensuing successful conversion.

What happened in the Olympic women’s rugby sevens gold-medal match?

New Zealand captured its second straight gold medal in women’s rugby sevens by beating Canada 19-12 in the gold-medal match.

Canada, which had upset France and Australia to reach the gold-medal match, led 12-7 at halftime after scoring a pair of tries and adding a successful conversion at the end of the first half.

New Zealand, though, quickly responded in the second half. Blyde scored a try just 30 seconds into the second half, and a successful conversion put New Zealand up 14-12.

Waaka later added another try and New Zealand kept Canada scoreless in the second half.