Alex Sedrick's heart-stopping, 103-yard try to help beat Australia in the Olympic bronze medal match was not only the most important play in U.S. women's rugby history — it was the most lucrative.
With only one desperate attempt at a medal remaining on July 30, Sedrick took possession of the ball, trucked over an opponent and took off running 95 meters, or about 103 yards, for the game-tying try. She then kicked the game-winning conversion for an unbelievable 14-12 comeback victory.
Not only did it give Team USA its first Olympic medal in women's rugby sevens, it prompted businesswoman and sports team owner Michele Kang to donate $4 million over four years to USA Rugby to grow the women's game for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
“This Eagles team, led by players like Ilona Maher and co-captains Lauren Doyle and Naya Tapper, has captivated millions of new fans, bringing unprecedented attention to the sport,” Kang said in a statement to USA Rugby. “I am so happy to support these outstanding athletes to realize their dream in capturing the gold in Los Angeles in 2028. That work starts now.”
Sedrick, nicknamed "Spiff" by her teammates, became an instant legend after teammate Ariana Ramsey delivered her the ball at Team USA's own 5-meter line with seconds remaining. She bowled over a defender and took off on a field that is 100 meters long between try zones, the equivalent of end zones in a football game.
"I knew that they'd be coming for me," Sedrick said on TODAY on July 31. "This was our last opportunity to medal, and just like Australia wanted it, I knew that they were going to be chasing me down, so I was just trying to get over the whitewash."
“One minute for the rest of her life, that’s a life-changing moment for all of us and for rugby in America,” Team USA's Kristi Kirshe told NBC News. “And thank God, (Sedrick) took off the way she did.”
Her scintillating run came after Australia had taken a 12-7 lead with only 85 seconds left in the match.
"For her to pull off that play and to beat some of the best tacklers in the game, we were all just chasing, it was so exciting," Team USA star Ilona Maher said on TODAY.
If an Australian defender had knocked the ball loose from Sedrick's grasp at any point during the run, the game would've been over. Instead, she sprinted straight down the field, diving to touch the ball to the ground in the try zone and tie the game.
Sedrick also had the presence of mind to score under the posts in the middle of the try zone. That meant her game-winning kick would be straight on instead of potentially from a difficult angle had she leaped into the corner of the try zone.
Team USA’s normal kicker was not on the field, so Sedrick had to quickly catch her breath and handle the game-winning kick. She brought home the win as pandemonium broke out on the U.S. sidelines.
It's a play that could change the entire trajectory of the sport in the country. Kang owns the Washington Spirit of the National Women's Soccer League, as well as some professional women's teams based in the United Kingdom, and she is committed to growing rugby sevens in the U.S.
“This will allow us to supercharge the progression of this program as we build to climb the podium in 2028 with gold medal aspirations in Los Angeles,” Bill Goren, chief executive of USA Rugby, said about Kang's donation in a statement.
The Olympics were a smashing success overall for the team, as Ilona Maher became a breakout star and the squad went viral on social media with Jason Kelce, helping bring more attention to the sport.
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Scott Stump is a trending reporter and the writer of the daily newsletter This is TODAY (which you should subscribe to here!) that brings the day's news, health tips, parenting stories, recipes and a daily delight right to your inbox. He has been a regular contributor for TODAY.com since 2011, producing features and news for pop culture, parents, politics, health, style, food and pretty much everything else.
