The Olympic momentum continues, as Canada has captured a surprise silver medal women’s rugby sevens.
After a pair of big upsets against France in the quarter-final and Australia in the semis, the Canadian women came up just short in a 19-12 loss to New Zealand in the gold medal match.
It is the best-ever result for Canada at the event, besting the bronze medal the women won during the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics. It’s also an unexpected one, as Canada entered the tournament ranked fifth in the world, behind all of the United States (who captured bronze), France, Australia, and top-ranked New Zealand.
In the end, it was the world’s number-one New Zealand that ended up solving Canada in the gold medal match.
New Zealand opened up the scoring on their first try of the gold medal match, jumping out to a quick 7-0 lead. Chloe Daniels would then tie things up in the waning moments of the first half after a great pass from Olivia Apps, knotting things up at 7-7 going into the second half.
It didn’t take long for Canada to pull ahead as Alysha Corrigan intercepted a New Zealand pass early in the second half and ran it all the way to put them up 12-7. That, however, wouldn’t last long, as New Zealand scored on their very next try and converted on the field goal to go up 14-12.
This would be all the blood that the Kiwis needed to smell as they then extended their lead on a try late in the second half to put Canada in a 19-12 hole. The Canadian women made a valiant effort to try to knot things up in the final minute, but could not convert.
It was not the gold medal finish that the Canadian woman might have wanted, but it is still a very impressive showing for the country.
This is Canada’s second silver medal of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and moves the country’s total medal count to six.