Canada’s Alysha Corrigan maneuvers past New Zealand’s Portia Woodman-Wickliffe during the Olympic women’s rugby sevens final in Paris on Tuesday. (The Canadian Press)
Charity Williams has taken a major step toward completing her Olympic medal collection. The Canadian women's rugby sevens team earned a silver medal in Paris after a close 19-12 loss to New Zealand in the final.
At 27 years old, Williams is the only player from the current squad who also competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics, where the team won bronze in rugby sevens' debut appearance. Reflecting on her journey, Williams shared how the silver medal feels different this time around. "When we got bronze, I was 19, I was just a rookie. I was barely involved in that win. I just got to take home something really shiny," she said with a smile, proudly showing off her new silver medal.
Williams stood out during the tournament, scoring a team-high five tries. "This time I just feel like I was so part of this team and we all kind of just pulled it together when we needed it most," she said. "And it's just an honour. Really."
Canada's path to the final was challenging. The team finished second in their pool behind New Zealand, who went undefeated throughout the tournament. On Monday, the Canadians edged out host France 19-14 in the quarterfinals, playing in front of a lively local crowd. They followed this up with an impressive 21-12 victory over Australia in the semifinals.
In the final, New Zealand’s Risi Pouri-Lane scored first with a try and a successful conversion. Canada responded with Chloe Daniels scoring a try and conversion, followed by Alysha Corrigan’s touch, giving Canada a 12-7 lead at halftime. However, New Zealand came back strong in the second half with tries from Michaela Blyde and Stacey Waaka, and a conversion by Tyla King, ultimately securing their victory.
The match was tough, with New Zealand's defence stifling Canada’s offence in the second half. Despite the defeat, Williams expressed pride in her team's performance. "I think in the end, we played our hearts out. We tried our absolute best. Things happen," she said. "The game of sevens is uncontrollable. You gotta love it. You gotta hate it. Crazy things happen. No one expected us to be on the podium. But here we are."
The road to the podium was not easy for the Canadian team. They finished ninth at the Tokyo Olympics after a COVID-19 delay and faced a tough 10th place in the 2022-2023 world rugby sevens series. Head coach Jack Hanratty acknowledged the team's resilience. "I'm very proud of this team. I think we won a silver medal today, which is incredible. But there was no team that walked through to get a gold medal. That was well earned tonight."
The team also dealt with injuries, including Krissy Scurfield from Canmore, Alberta, who had to sit out due to an internal injury. Despite this setback, her teammates celebrated her spirit. "It's a shame that her Olympic journey ended a bit early, but in the end, she's been with us right there the whole time," said captain Olivia Apps.
Looking ahead, the future of Canadian rugby sevens appears promising, with many players young and potentially returning for future Olympics. Williams, who aims to complete her Olympic medal collection, remains hopeful. "I do need all three," she said.
