U.S. Women’s Rugby Team Wins Historic Bronze Medal in Paris

The U.S. women’s rugby team has made history by winning their first Olympic medal in rugby sevens! They went head-to-head against Australia in a thrilling bronze medal match that kept everyone on the edge of their seats.

The game finished with a nail-biting score of 14-12, thanks to Alex Sedrick’s incredible last-minute try and her own conversion kick that clinched the victory for the American team.

After the game, Ilona Maher was buzzing with emotions. She expressed how surreal the win felt, saying, “It hasn’t sunk in yet. I’m so tired but I’m so excited. We wanted this medal, not for ourselves but for our families.”

The match started with a strong performance from Australia as Maddison Levi scored first, leading 7-0. But the U.S. kept pushing back. Alev Kelter grabbed a try to level the score before halftime, making it 7-7.

Things heated up in the second half, with both teams making aggressive plays, but Australian pressure surged again when Maddison Levi scored her second try, putting her team ahead late in the game.

However, the U.S. wasn’t done yet! On the following kickoff, Sedrick made an incredible run down the field, stiff-arming her way through Australia’s defense to tie it up at 12-12. She then made the crucial kick from under the posts to seal the victory.

This win marks a significant milestone as it’s the first medal in rugby for the U.S. since 1924. Head coach Emilie Bydwell also celebrated this momentous occasion, becoming the first female coach in rugby to lead a team to a medal.

As the team celebrated on the field, Bruce Springsteen‘s “Born in the U.S.A.” played loudly, amplifying the joy of their hard-earned victory, and Maher raised her arms in triumph, reflecting the pride they felt for representing American rugby on such a grand stage.