Twenty-four women鈥檚 sevens rugby players have been living and training in Greater Victoria the last four years, chasing their dreams, and awaiting this moment.
But only 12 can play in the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics for the world No. 3-ranked Canadian side.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been the hardest couple of weeks I鈥檝e gone through [as a coach],鈥� said John Tait of Mill Bay, as he unveiled his Olympic roster Friday, during a ceremony at the Laurel Point Inn attended by sa国际传媒鈥檚 Lt. Gov. Judith Guichon, Langford Mayor Stew Young and Canadian assistant chef de mission Carol Huynh.
Nine of the 12 players were gold medallists last summer at the 2015 Toronto Pan Am Games. There were a couple of eye-openers, however, with veteran Magali Harvey left off the Olympic team and youthful newcomers Charity Williams and Megan Lukan included for Rio.
鈥淚t was a pretty intense experience to be told . . . I was shocked and tears welled up in my eyes,鈥� said the 19-year-old Williams.
鈥淭he original plan was 2020 [for the Tokyo Summer Olympics].鈥�
That schedule has been moved up.
鈥淐harity has world-class speed and will make an impact off the bench in Rio,鈥� said Tait. 鈥淪he will be a household name by the next Olympics.鈥�
The other surprise selection was Lukan of Barrie Ont., who joined the camp in Langford on a six-month trial in April 2015 after graduating as a basketball standout and leading Wisconsin-Green Bay into the NCAA Div. 1 tournament.
鈥淚 definitely cried when I heard I had been selected,鈥� said Lukan, who played basketball and XVs rugby in high school, but never sevens before last year.
The talented all-rounder sees similarities between hoops and sevens: 鈥淚 was a point-guard in basketball. Both sports are about vision and awareness and seeing the whole court or field and creating those two-on-one and three-on-two advantages.鈥�
Also named in the youth vanguard was 20-year-old Hannah Darling.
鈥淲e had a slew of injuries and the younger players took their opportunities,鈥� said Tait. 鈥淟ukan was the most improved player and forced her way into the selection.鈥�
Among the most inspirational choices was veteran Ashley Steacy, who ruptured her ACL in February, and yet battled back to win an Olympic roster spot.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a super-emotional ride and a very challenging year with many obstacles,鈥� said Steacy.
鈥淚 am the luckiest player in the world. I had a full ACL replacement. It was almost instant devastation to see that [Olympic] dream possibly go away. Now I can say the word Olympian. I didn鈥檛 want to actually say it until I was named to the team.鈥�
Several of the selection decisions were difficult, said Tait.
Named were captain Jen Kish along with Britt Benn, Bianca Farella, Ghislaine Landry, Kayla Moleschi, Karen Paquin, Kelly Russell, Natasha Watcham-Roy, Steacy, Darling, Williams and Lukan. The reserves are Harvey, Elissa Alarie, Sara Kaljuvee and Julia Greenshields.
鈥淲e went through a lot of analytics and metrics and picked our best and most consistent performers to go to Rio,鈥� said Tait.
The Canadian team has shifted camp to Shawnigan Lake School this week. But fans can meet the Olympic side at Bullen Park in Esquimalt today at 2:30 p.m. when they instruct a group of local girls players in a sevens contest. It is part of an afternoon of rugby featuring capped Canadian and U.S. former World Cup players in a men鈥檚 masters XVs exhibition at 1 p.m. and the Canadian League men鈥檚 XVs game between the sa国际传媒 Bears (0-1) and defending champion Prairie WolfPack (1-0) at 3 p.m.
The Olympic team departs its Island base July 22 for a week of staging in Toronto, culminating with the public send-off to Rio on July 26 at Nathan Phillips Square.
sa国际传媒 opens Olympic pool play Aug. 6 at Deodoro Stadium in Rio against Japan at 8:30 a.m. and host Brazil at 1:30 p.m. PT. The final pool game is Aug. 7 against Great Britain at 8:30 a.m. PT. The playoff and medal rounds are Aug. 8.
