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US women win a first Olympic medal in rugby sevens with a comeback victory over Australia

APTOPIX Paris Olympics Rugby
Paris Olympics Rugby United States' Ilona Maher celebrates after her team won the women's bronze medal Rugby Sevens match between the United States and Australia at the 2024 Summer Olympics, in the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, France, Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
Paris Olympics Rugby United States' Ilona Maher smiles as she leaves the medal presentation ceremony with her bronze medal for the Rugby Sevens at the 2024 Summer Olympics, in the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, France, Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
Paris Olympics Rugby United States' Alex Sedrick, left admires her bronze medal for the Rugby Sevens as she takes part with her fellow team members in the presentation ceremony at the 2024 Summer Olympics, in the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, France, Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
Paris Olympics Rugby
Paris Olympics Rugby The United States team celebrate after winning the women's bronze medal Rugby Sevens match between the United States and Australia at the 2024 Summer Olympics, in the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, France, Tuesday, July 30, 2024. The US won the game 14-12. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
Paris Olympics Rugby United States' Sammy Sullivan, left tackles Australia's Maddison Levi during the women's bronze medal Rugby Sevens match between the United States and Australia at the 2024 Summer Olympics, in the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, France, Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
CORRECTION Paris Olympics Rugby CAPTION CORRECTS ID Australia's Isabella Nasser, is tackled by United States' Kayla Canett as United States' Ilona Mahe, top, looks on, during the women's bronze medal Rugby Sevens match between the United States and Australia at the 2024 Summer Olympics, in the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, France, Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
Paris Olympics Rugby
Paris Olympics Rugby United States' Ilona Maher goes towards teamed United States' Naya Tapper after the team won the women's bronze medal Rugby Sevens match between the United States and Australia at the 2024 Summer Olympics, in the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, France, Tuesday, July 30, 2024. The US won the match 14-12. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
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SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) 鈥 Alex Sedrick ran the length of the field, dived in under the posts and then calmly took the conversion, securing a first medal for the United States with a 14-12, last-minute upset over Australia.

watched in awe as Sedrick bumped off two tacklers near her own tryline before sprinting all the way to the other end to score in front of a 60,000-plus crowd at Stade de France and spark jubilation for the Americans.

鈥淚 was kind of like, ‘What is this? No way? It was crazy because I was like, 鈥楴o, there鈥檚 no way this is happening,鈥 Maher said of the audacious, winning try. 鈥淎nd then for her to have to make the kick as well, and she鈥檚 not our kicker.鈥

The American women lost to defending champion New Zealand in the semis 鈥 鈥 but overcame a 12-7 deficit against the 2016 champion Australians with just seconds on the clock.

The Australians scored first via Maddison Levi 鈥 who set a record for most tries in an Olympic tournament 鈥 but Alev Kelter got the Americans back into it with a try to level before halftime.

Levi scored again with about two minutes to play but the Australians missed the conversion, leaving the door open if the Americans scored a try and converted it.

It鈥檚 a fast-paced game, much faster than traditional 15-a-side rugby. It’s two seven-minute halves, multiple matches daily over three days 鈥 and only seven players on each team on a full-size field. As all the coaches and players say, anything can happen.

For Sedrick, the game-breaking play was just an example of her 鈥渢rying to channel my big girls. Ilona Maher. I鈥檓 just trying to be like her.鈥

Maher is the undisputed face of women鈥檚 rugby in America, but Sedrick鈥檚 long-range try is the defining image of the bronze medal game.

The American players and staff rushed onto the field to celebrate. Sammy Sullivan was in tears, after watching the finish from the sidelines. Maher raised both arms up in triumph.

Bruce Springsteen’s 鈥淏orn in the U.S.A.鈥 blared over the stadium speakers.

The U.S. women had to wait until after New Zealand beat Canada 19-12 in the final to take their place on the podium. Maher and teammates Naya Tapper, Kelter and Lauren Doyle had waited so long for this. Others, like were there for the first time.

Maher was a breakout social media star at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, when her funny outtakes of life in the pandemic-era athletes’ village went viral.

But she was devastated after a quarterfinal loss to Britain. She did a lot of sports psychology and worked out how to stay centered and also and her team with her social media presence.

鈥淚 wanted to be good at social media 鈥 and I do a lot of social media 鈥 but also be a very good rugby player,鈥 she said. 鈥淎nd that was important to me.鈥

The medal is evidence of that.

鈥淚t was important for me to show I am funny but I鈥檓 also the real deal and I also a very good rugby player,鈥 she said. 鈥淎nd so it was important for me to show that you can be anything. You can be beast, beauty, brains.鈥

___

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