The U.S. women’s rugby sevens squad is ready for the 2024 Paris Olympics. After a sixth-place finish at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the squad is looking to secure Team USA’s first rugby medal since winning back-to-back golds in 1920 and 1924.
But before the team hits the pitch in Paris, winger Ariana Ramsey shows fans around its Southern California-based training center. From workouts to scooters, see how athletes like Ramsey, Ilona Maher, and Sammy Sullivan are keeping their eyes on the prize.
Rugby was introduced at the Olympics at the 1900 Paris Games, but was dropped after the 1924 Games. In 2009, the International Olympic Committee voted to include the sevens version of rugby at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, where Australia won gold and the U.S. placed fifth. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, New Zealand took home gold and the U.S. finished sixth. Team USA will play its first match in Paris on Sunday, July 28.
Follow USA TODAY’s coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics here for highlights, schedules, medal counts, and more. Subscribe to USA TODAY’s Chasing Gold newsletter for daily dispatches from the ground and the athletes’ stories you can’t miss. If you want the best photos and top moments right in your texts, WhatsApp users can check out our USA TODAY Chasing Gold channel, where we’ll share the must-see moments.
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
Follow Sydney Bergan on social media @sydbergan
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USA women’s rugby sevens looking for first Olympic medal since 1924