A decision by Rugby sa国际传媒 five years ago to centralize the best sevens players from across the country in Greater Victoria was vindicated with a trip to the podium Monday at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics.
Those five years of sweat and sacrifice at the Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence on the Camosun College Interurban campus and at Westhills Stadium in Langford resulted in sa国际传媒 winning the women鈥檚 sevens bronze medal with a 33-10 victory over Great Britain following a 17-5 semifinal loss to eventual gold-medallist Australia.
鈥淟angford and PISE have meant a lot to us and have been so important for the development of women鈥檚 rugby,鈥� said veteran Canadian player Kelly Russell, after the medal ceremony.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely needed for the development and growth of our program and we will continue to grow from it. So many players have come in and out of the program in Victoria over the past five years and all have contributed to this moment.鈥�
The bronze-medal game victory avenged a 22-0 Canadian loss to Great Britain on Sunday in pool play. sa国际传媒, 2-1 in the pool, rebounded later Sunday by falling behind 5-0 before rallying for a 15-5 quarter-final win over France with two tries in the last two minutes.
鈥淲e knew we had it in us. We believed in ourselves,鈥� said Russell.
Asked what was said inside the Canadian huddle following the medal-clinching final buzzer, Russell said: 鈥淲e were so very proud. 鈥� We just wanted to take in the moment.鈥�
The architect of the program has been Canadian head coach John Tait of Mill Bay.
鈥淚鈥檓 just really proud of the girls. I鈥檓 so happy to have a medal, to walk away with something,鈥� said Tait.
鈥淭he girls showed sa国际传媒 how good they really are, and this medal means a lot to me.鈥�
Tait added it was as much for the sport itself, as rugby sevens made its Olympic debut. It was also the first time rugby has been played in the Olympics since 1924 and the first time by women.
鈥淭his is such a great game and so many people are going to be switched onto it now,鈥� said Tait.
鈥淗opefully, that鈥檚 going to keep us competitive and have us on the podium again in 2020.鈥�
It was only the second medal won by sa国际传媒 in a team sport in the Summer Olympics since 1936 when Victoria players Doug Peden and Art and Chuck Chapman won silver in men鈥檚 basketball at Berlin in 1936. The drought was broken by the Canadian women鈥檚 soccer team with its bronze medal at London in 2012.
