Olympics heartbreak for UQ student as Australia miss out on rugby sevens medal

By Louise Evans
Bachelor of Arts (Journalism) '82

Sevens rugby can be a cruel master as the Australian women discovered when a last-moment 80-metre runaway try allowed the USA to snatch the Olympic bronze medal.

It was a heartbreaking and emotional finish for the Australians at the Stade de Paris as they watched a conversion after full-time give the Americans a 14-12 win and a position on the medal dais.

After 3 straight wins they had similar disappointment in a 21-12 semi-final loss to Canada, despite leading 12-0 just before half-time.

“Obviously it wasn’t our day,” courageous captain Charlotte Casslick said through tears.

“We didn’t control possession the way we would have liked. It hurts. But I am still proud of the girls. We’ll go again. We love playing rugby, we love each other, but we love Australia more.”

Sharni Smale, who was playing in her third Olympics, was lost for words.

“I feel numb. There is a lot of emotion. We came out fighting, but we just weren’t on our game," she said.

The Olympic sevens women’s team ran rich with UQ blood. Isabella (Bella) Nasser, 22, is a Bachelor of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences student. Assistant coach Emilee Barton graduated with Bachelor Health, Sport and Physical Education in 2016. Plus, they had UQ Rugby Club players Kaitlin Shave and Sidney Taylor.

Nasser had a sterling game. She stood strong in the tackles and was hard-working and probing in defence, quelling surge after surge. You could see the yellow ribbon around her pony tail bobbing up everywhere.

UQ student Bella Nasser after Australia's semi-final loss to Canada. *Image: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images*

UQ student Bella Nasser after Australia's semi-final loss to Canada. *Image: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images*

On paper, Australia was superior, ranked world number 2 to the fourth-ranked USA, and the bronze-medal match was played at break-neck speed in energy-sapping 35 degree heat at 7pm Paris time.

Australian speedster Maddi Levi was the first to score, her 13th try of the Olympic tournament, and then was inexplicably yellow carded in a questionable refereeing call.

Down to 6 players, Australia valiantly played the whistle and saved a try through a magnificent tackle on the sideline by Faith Nathan.

But the weight of numbers was too much and the Americans scored just before the break to make it 7-7 at half-time.

Strong defence from both sides made for a stop-start second half until Australia had a chance to go ahead, but Sariah Paki dropped the ball on the tryline.

Then with little more than a minute to go, Levi scored her 14th try of the tournament to put Australia ahead 12-7. But Tia Hinds missed the conversion leaving a small window for the US.

With Australia attacking the line in the dying seconds, a dropped ball allowed US Olympic debutant Alex Sedrick to scoop it up and run virtually the full length of the field to score a try under the posts.

With scores level, Sedrick stepped up and calmly converted her own try to secure the bronze medal as the Australians slumped in defeat.

It was a disappointing finish for Australia’s Rio 2016 Olympic gold medallists, who finished fifth in Tokyo and had high hopes of winning another medal in Paris.

Australia’s path to the gold-medal match had been going seamlessly with the top scorer in the Olympic competition Maddi Levi on fire.

Australia easily won its 2 opening games against South Africa 34-5 and Great Britain 36-5 on day one. On day 2, they beat Ireland twice, once in their pool-winning match, 19-14, and again in the quarter-finals, 40-7.

That put Australia into the semi-finals on Tuesday and that’s where the magic evaporated.

Australia suffered a shock loss to Canada 21-12, despite being ahead 12-0 and seemingly having the game in hand.

Canada scored on half-time to creep back to 12-7. In the second half, Canada rose to score 2 converted tries, piling on a total of 21 points. Australia had no answer.

That crushing defeat meant there was no chance of a gold medal for the women in green and gold. The brutal realisation triggered an outpouring of emotion on the Australian bench and on the field with players dissolving into tears.

“It sucks,” Caslick said.

But they had no time to wallow in defeat. The bronze-medal match beckoned against USA, who lost their semi-final to New Zealand 24-12.

“We’ve got to go again and try to win a bronze medal,” Caslick said.

“We are still ready and focused. We can’t feel too sorry for ourselves, that can come later. We still have a lot to play for.

“We’ve one more game to represent Australia at the Olympics. There is a lot to play for every time when representing Australia. It's not hard to get up and represent our country in the sport that we love.”

Try-scoring sensation Maddison Levi after Australia's loss to USA in the bronze-medal match. Image: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

After the defeat Caslick paid tribute to her brave but tearful team, including Nasser who has rugby running through her veins. She’s the daughter of former Wallaby Brendan Nasser (8 caps from 1989–91) and the younger sister of new Wallaby and Queensland Reds hooker Josh Nasser.

Growing up she had a rounded sport’s education in water polo, swimming and touch football. Rugby came to the fore when she attended Brisbane State High, the same school that hot-housed pioneer Caslick, the seven's captain’s and 2016 Olympic champion.

That 2016 gold medal proved a seismic turning point in elite women’s sport in Australia, with Caslick and her warrior women becoming overnight trail blazers. For the first time, Australians watched elite female athletes play a full-on contact sport at the highest level.

It was ground-breaking, exciting, pivotal. History followed. The AFLW kicked off in 2017, followed by the start of the National Rugby League Women’s premiership in 2018.

That 2016 Olympic gold medal was also a turning point for Nasser, then just 14. You can’t be what you can’t see and, for the first time, Nasser could see a clear pathway to the Olympics with sevens.

After finishing school, she joined the University of Queensland Uni 7s tournament. In 2022, she received a sporting scholarship at UQ for her development in sevens and debuted for Australia against Spain in Cape Town.

Nasser tasted her first tournament victory in the World Series in December 2023 at the Dubai Sevens. She scored during Australia's victory over Japan in the pool stage and played in the final, when Australia defeated New Zealand, ending the Black Ferns 41-game unbeaten run.

“It’s my first win which was so crazy,” Nasser said looking back.

“It was so good to get to do it alongside all the girls and the team we’ve been working really hard with. It was unreal.”

Nasser and older brother Josh made a pact that 2024 would be their breakthrough year and they both nailed it. Bella was named in the Olympic squad and brother Josh broke into the Wallabies.

“It was a really special family moment for my mum and dad. I think they’re both very proud. We’re both really proud of each other and support each other through it all.”

In the lead-up to Paris, Nasser was training in France alongside her idols and fellow sevens Olympic squad members Caslick and fellow 2016 Olympic champion Sharni Williams.

It’s been a learning curve – taking them off her pedestal and working with them on the field of play.

“I’m so grateful and I pinch myself that I’m even training alongside them and have the opportunity to play games alongside them, let alone going to where it all started, where my motivation all started, an Olympic Games alongside Charlotte and Sharni.”

Nasser also has a special relationship with UQ Rugby Club player Kaitlin Shave who made her Olympic debut in Paris. Both Nasser and Shave bonded when they played touch for the Brisbane Mustangs together.

“We’ve had the whole ride together, which has been amazing,” Nasser said.

“Katie and I have a really good relationship away from sport and we always have.

“We’ve been through the highs and lows on and off the field, so we’ve always had each other’s back.”

Shave has been dreaming of going to the Olympics since she was in Year 5 at Runcorn State School, when she drew the Olympic rings and a pair of running spikes for a school project ahead of the 2012 London Olympics.

Not surprisingly Shave, 23. started her sporting career as a 100-metre sprinter and her natural speed carried her into touch football, becoming a Queensland Broncos touch football 2019 premiership player.

Shave was selected for the sevens program in 2022 before making her debut the following year. While she loved athletics she revels in the “sisterhood of the sevens”.

“I found athletics a really individual sport. With rugby sevens, I love the massive team environment where everyone uplifts each other or gets around you if something doesn’t go right.

"It’s such a good sisterhood with our sevens team.”

Nasser, Shave and Taylor are young enough and talented enough to train-on with the sisterhood for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. But first they’ll have to recover from their Paris defeat and the medal that was just out of reach.

Australian Sevens Olympic Squad

Charlotte Caslick (Cpt), 29, 3rd Olympics (2016, 2020), from Brisbane
Bridget Clark, 21, Debut, Oatley, NSW
Dominique du Toit, 27, 2nd Olympics (2020), Little Mountain QLD
Tia Hinds, 22, 2nd Olympics (2020), Caringbah
Maddison Levi, 22, 2nd Olympics (2020), Broadbeach Waters
Teagan Levi, 20, Debut, Broadbeach Waters
Isabella Nasser, 22, Greenslopes
Faith Nathan, 23, 2nd Olympics (2020), Berkeley Vale NSW
Sariah Paki, 22, 2nd Olympics (2020), Dee Why
Kaitlin Shave, 23, Debut, Brisbane
Sharni Smale (nee Williams), 36, 3rd Olympics (2016, 2020), Newport
Bienne Terita, 21, Debut, Punchbowl
Sidney Taylor, 21, Debut, Brisbane

Front row to the greatest sporting moments

Sports media pioneer and UQ alum Louise Evans is in Paris covering her 7th Olympic Games. She spoke to Contact ahead of departure about her experiences and highlights while reporting on global sporting events.

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