Women’s USA Rugby scored a massive donation after the Team USA Women’s Rugby Sevens team scored an unbelievable historic win at the Paris Olympics against Australia.
The owner of several women’s soccer teams, Michele Kang, donated $4 million over the course of four years to the USA Women’s Rugby Sevens through Kynisca Sports International (founded by Kang to invest in women’s sports and women’s soccer), ahead of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
“2024 has been a banner year for women’s sports with record-breaking attendance and viewership, and women’s rugby is no exception,” Kang said.
“I am so happy to support these outstanding athletes to realize their dream in capturing the gold in Los Angeles in 2028,” she added.
Hours after the U.S. women claimed bronze for the country’s first Olympic medal in rugby sevens, the team received an unprecedented donation from business mogul Michele Kang.
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— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) July 30, 2024
“That work starts now,” Kang continued. “As corporate sponsors and broadcast networks increasingly see the value and enthusiasm for women’s sports, now is the moment to unlock the full potential of these incredible female athletes and inspire generations to come.”
Chief Executive Officer at USA Rugby Bill Goren said, “We are stunned and beyond grateful for this transformative gift from Michele to advance USA Women’s Rugby.”
“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,” Goren added. “This increase in support will ensure we can deploy the resources to the right places to win when it matters the most, inspiring a nation of rugby players and solidifying our place on the world stage.”
The donation came hours after the USA Women’s Rugby Sevens team finally scored its first-ever Olympic medal when the team took home a bronze in a can’t-miss-finish, as previously reported.
During the 2024 Summer Olympics on Tuesday, USA had fallen to 7-12 behind Australia, when the Aussie’s Maddison Levi went for the conversion and missed, NBC News reported.
Team USA’s Ariana Ramsey got the ball and threw it to teammate Alex Sedrick, who caught the ball and went on to fight off not one but three Team Australia defenders. It was then off to the races as Sedrick ran the entire length of the rugby pitch with no one even close to catching her.
In the final seconds, she dove over the line and slid down under the posts to score as her team went wild, bringing the score to 12-12.
It was then up to Sedrick — who isn’t the normal kicker for the team — to make the final kick that went right through the uprights to give USA a 14-12 victory, the outlet noted.
Members of Team USA then gathered on the field to hug and celebrate as the crowd went wild with their historic win.
Related: Team USA Women’s Rugby Sevens Scores First Ever Olympic Medal In Unbelievable Finish
