US women’s rugby sevens team wins 1st-ever Olympic medal

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Players of Team United States celebrate following victory during the Women's Rugby Sevens Bronze medal match between Team United States and Team Australia on day four of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on July 30, 2024 in Paris, Fran

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The United States women’s rugby team won their first-ever Olympic medal after a stunning upset over Australia on Tuesday.

The team won 14-12, earning a bronze medal.

It is the first medal the U.S. has ever won in rugby sevens, men's or women's.

Epic comeback

With just about 30 seconds left, the U.S. women’s team received the kickoff, and failed to get much of anything going in desperation mode.

However, with nearly five seconds left, Alex Sedrick broke a tackle roughly 80 meters from USA's own side of the field, and with no Australian defenders in the backfield, she had all the open space in the world.

As the clock hit zeroes, she took it to the house, leaving the Americans with just a short conversion to try to take the bronze. Since Sedrick split the uprights on her score, the Americans were able to kick it from the five-meter line, which is as much a guarantee as the old-fashioned extra point in the National Football League (which still remains in college football).

Rugby sevens v. traditional 15

Rugby sevens is fast-paced compared to the traditional 15-a-side rugby matches.

It’s two seven-minute halves, multiple matches daily over three days — and only seven players on each team on a full-size field.

Meet the team

Bronze medalists of Team United States pose after the Women's Rugby Sevens medal ceremony following the Women's Rugby Sevens matches on day four of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on July 30, 2024 in Paris, France. (Credit: Michael St

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