When the Canadian women's rugby sevens team emerged out of the tunnel for the gold medal match, they had already won. Of course, New Zealand went on to defend their Olympic title at the Stade de France, proving too strong as they ran out deserved 19-12 winners in the scorching Parisian sun to claim the nation's first medal of the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
While New Zealand appeared certain to reach the gold medal match, who could have predicted that Canada would be their opponents?
Hogan-Rochester was one of many standout performers on the final day of the rugby sevens competition at Paris 2024, scoring the equalizing try en route to their superb victory over Australia in the semi-final a few hours earlier.
Canada rallied from a 12-0 deficit to win 21-12 against Australia, who had claimed the World Series title just two months prior. The Canadians also surprised hosts France in the quarterfinals, overturning a 14-7 disadvantage to dash French hopes of a double medal performance in rugby.
They had additional drive in the final, facing off against the defending champions and a New Zealand team that had secured a commanding 33-7 victory over them in the pool stage just two days earlier.
Despite conceding an early lead in the final, Canada rallied to secure a 12-7 advantage by halftime. They had overturned deficits against the heavily favored hosts, who were both recent world series champions and defending Olympic champions.
The athlete who epitomizes Canada's rugby journey is Charity Williams, who won a bronze medal in Rio and has now secured a silver in Paris. Hogan-Rochester reflected on her beginnings in rugby, saying, "When I first started playing rugby, I admired many of the athletes who stood on the podium in Rio, including Charity. It's incredible to stand beside her now."
Apps set the example as the driving force of the team, surging through the New Zealand backline with every last ounce of energy to inspire her teammates. She played a pivotal role in Canada's comeback from an early deficit, steadfast against everything she encountered on the pitch.
The stage is set for what could be a historically significant tournament at LA 2028, and although it's four years off, Canada can aspire to achieve a clean sweep in rugby sevens.
Regarding the inspiration of future Canadian rugby players, Hogan-Rochester remarked, "That's a dream come true, and it's a significant part of my purpose. I wouldn't be here without the support of the women who paved the way before me, so being able to offer that to others is incredibly meaningful. It fills me with immense pride and respect for the jersey."
From the opening match to the medal ceremony, one thing was clear about the Canadian team. They are proud to be here competing in Paris, regardless of the outcome.