The USA women’s rugby team has been one of the early breakout stars of the Olympics, led by Ilona Maher whose run against Japan, throwing a defender to the ground, went viral and earned her a stamp of approval from stiff arm king Derrick Henry.
On Tuesday, the USA women dropped their semifinal game against the tournament favorites, New Zealand, and had to face another top team in the bronze medal match, after Australia lost a stunner to Canada earlier in the day. The Aussies led 12-7 in the closing seconds of the match, with Team USA needing to go the length of the field for a try to tie the game — with a try and a made kick winning it.
After working the ball side-to-side, the ball found its way to Alex Sedrick, who got broke not one, not two, but three tackles to break free into the open field and then turned on the jets for a 90-yard winning score.
Uno de los mejores deportes del mundo. Solo rugby7s. Estados Unidos saca de la galera el conejo, y le gana el BRONCE a Australia en el último segundo. Descomunal. pic.twitter.com/4ZDpS9FAkr
— Mivisiondeljuego (@mivisiondejuego) July 30, 2024
I’ve never needed a Chris Berman highlight call more than on this run. A couple WHOOOOPs on the pitches, a “pfft pfft pfft” as she breaks tackles, and then SHE. COULD. GO. ALL. THE. WAY.
It really is one of the most incredible individual efforts you’ll see in any sport, and for her to not only have the power to run through some arm tackles by Australia but to also have the speed to take it all the way is outrageous. The score (and kick to win after) gave Team USA their first ever medal in women’s rugby, in the most dramatic, stunning fashion possible.