Australia’s women’s rugby sevens team have missed a medal in Paris after the United States scored a converted try at full-time to won the bronze-medal match 14-12.
It was a second shock loss in less than three hours for Tim Walsh’s strong medal hopes.
Australia was rocked 21-12 in a semifinal defeat to Canada when it had led 12-0.
New Zealand won the gold after defeating Canada 19-12 in the final.
“They’re devastated. They’ve put a lot into it,” Walsh said after the match.
“Everyone is [devastated]. The staff are. But we got to hold our heads high. We came into this tournament to walk away without regret in terms of our preparation.
“Every single one of them have done that. So, they can be proud.
” They’re going to be disappointed obviously but I’m proud of them.”
It is a second straight Olympics without a medal for the 2016 gold medallists, who had won the world series less than two months ago and romped into the final four at Stade de France.
But it was a tearful day in stifling heat in Paris, with Australia left slumped after it appeared to have done enough to at least snatch bronze for its efforts.
Maddison Levi’s second try, extending her Olympic record to 14 for the tournament, gave Australia a 12-7 lead inside the final minute.
They looked set to defend the lead before Alex Sedrick brushed out of a tackle and sprinted 85 metres, before converting her try to spark wild scenes.
Earlier, the Australians had butchered a try when Bella Nasser’s pass to Sariah Paki went astray, their usually potent offence evaporating in the afternoon heat.
AAP
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