From one edge of the Pacific to the other. The national women鈥檚 rugby sevens squad can become the first Canadian team in any sport to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics Saturday and Sunday at Westhills Stadium.
Those are the stakes in the sa国际传媒 Sevens, the fifth of sixth 2019 World Series tournaments.
The Canadians are second behind New Zealand in the overall World Series standings, out of which the top four teams at the end of the season will qualify directly for the Tokyo Games, without having to go through regional qualifiers.
Could there be anything sweeter for the host team than to clinch an Olympic berth this weekend on its home Westhills turf in front of its own fans?
鈥淚t will be huge to play at home and display our passion and feed off the energy of our crowd,鈥� said Canadian player Karen Paquin.
The journey to get here, however, has been anything but Japanese bullet-train-like for Paquin. Last month, she played in her first sevens tournament for the first team national side since winning bronze with sa国际传媒 at the 2016 Rio Olympics. It didn鈥檛 take long for the old Paquin to assert herself as she scored three tries at the Japan Sevens.
Paquin also had three tries in the Rio Olympics, then went to the 2017 women鈥檚 World Cup in XVs, where she tore her meniscus, cartilage between the shinbone and thighbone. With her career in jeopardy after two surgeries, 31-year-old Paquin worked painstakingly at her recovery for the past two years at the Rugby sa国际传媒 Al Charron national training centre in Langford.
鈥淭he rehabilitation was such a lengthy process. But I feel like myself again,鈥� Paquin said.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think about the knee.鈥�
Elite athletes recovering from knee surgery cannot afford to worry. If you fear making a quick turn off the rehabilitated leg, or avoid it to not risk another injury, you are done at this level.
鈥淭he injury was quite the challenge,鈥� Paquin said.
But she couldn鈥檛 just walk 鈥� or hobble 鈥� away from the sport that has played such a big role in her life.
鈥淚 chose rugby again,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t makes me appreciate it even more now.鈥�
It says a lot about Paquin鈥檚 well-rounded game that she went to the World Cup in XVs a year after making the Olympic podium in sevens. She enjoys both versions of the sport and would have it no other way.
鈥淚 like both for different reasons,鈥� said the native of Quebec City, who has been centralized with the national team program in Langford since 2013.
鈥淴Vs is such a hard game, needing the ultimate in teamwork and camaraderie. But I love the speed and creativity of sevens.鈥�
She has excelled in both, winning silver with the national women鈥檚 XVs squad at the 2014 World Cup and scoring a team co-high eight tries in leading sa国际传媒 to the gold medal on home soil at the 2015 Toronto Pan Am Games.
Paquin was named to the 2014-15 World Rugby women鈥檚 sevens all-star Dream Team and, before her injury, was ranked ninth all-time in World Series sevens career scoring.
A two-way player, she can do it all.
鈥淚 bring high intensity and give it everything I鈥檝e got and play hard,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 like to hit and be physical and I鈥檓 always up for a chase down. Offensively, I have speed and can hit the line at pace.鈥�
Now on the verge of qualifying for her second Olympics, Paquin knows the deal for this weekend at home at Westhills.
鈥淲e have such balance and great chemistry as a national side,鈥� she said.
鈥淭he key for us is to stay connected and work for each other.鈥�
sa国际传媒 opens pool play Saturday at 11:28 a.m. against Brazil before meeting Ireland at 2:12 p.m. and Australia at 4:56 p.m.
The tournament begins with New Zealand playing Russia at 10:22 a.m. with action running through the final pool game between the U.S. and France at 5:40 p.m.
Play resumes Sunday at 9:18 a.m., through to the championship final at 4:18p.m.
