New Zealand come from behind to retain Olympic sevens title
The Kiwis outscored the Canadians by three tries to two in a tense, defence-led match in front of a near-capacity 69,000 crowd at the Stade de France.
The US, having made their first-ever semi-finals, had earlier upset pre-tournament favourites Australia 14-12 to claim third place.
The final saw Kiwi skipper Risi Pouri-Lane step Chloe Daniels and run in from 50 metres for the opening try, also hitting the conversion.
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New Zealand pinned Canada back in their own 22m, but when the ball was worked left to Charity Williams, the winger was one-on-one with Portia Woodman-Wickliffe.
However, the New Zealander, a star of both the sevens and 15s game for more than a decade, saw yellow for the high, covering tackle.
Canada took advantage, Daniels played into space by Olivia Apps for a straight run-in to the line and successfully adding the extras.
Sarah Hirini tried one ambitious offload too many as the Kiwis regathered, Alysha Corrigan intercepting and showing a clean pair of soles for Canada’s second try to leave it 12-7 at half-time.
New Zealand started the second period exactly as they needed to, the impressive Michaela Blyde stepping inside Corrigan for a fine try, converted by Tyla King to hand them back the lead.
Stacey Wakaa then got the decisive score following a fine Hirini break and some slick inter-passing between those two and King.
A dramatic bronze medal match saw Maddison Levi score two more tries to finish on a record 14 for the tournament.
The previous best in an Olympics was Woodman-Wickliffe’s tally of 10 for New Zealand at the 2016 Rio Games.
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But it was not enough as the US responded with tries from Alev