Explainer | Paris Olympics: all you need to know as rugby sevens puts Fiji and Dupont in spotlight
- Can France 15s captain Antoine Dupont help the host nation succeed in their ‘Olympic project’? Not if two-time champions Fiji can help it
Still a relative newcomer to the Summer Games, the men’s rugby sevens in Paris will be over before most events have really had a chance to get started.
But even though it begins two days before the opening ceremony, it could easily set the tone for the weeks that follow, especially if Antoine Dupont can guide the home nation to gold.
In the women’s competition, all eyes will be on New Zealand and Australia, with the two rivals expected to battle it out in the final once more.
Athletes to watch
Antoine Dupont, France The 27-year-old scrum-half is one of the world’s best rugby players. He has been turning his attention to the condensed format of the sport this year with the aim of winning an Olympic gold medal on home soil.
Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, New Zealand An Olympic champion and the all-time leading scorer in the women’s world sevens series – scoring a 250th career try during the Singapore Sevens in May. She won a gold medal in Tokyo, offsetting the bitter disappointment of a loss to Australia in 2016 when rugby sevens made its Olympic debut at Rio de Janeiro.
Ilona Maher, United States She was one of TikTok’s breakout stars of the Tokyo Olympics, where she posted while wearing a red, white and blue bucket hat. Maher uses a #beastbeautybrains campaign and hopes her videos spread body image positivity and bring more attention to the sport.
Storylines to follow
Dupont’s quest Antoine Dupont said he “got involved in this Olympic project” to win a medal. In his first two tournaments playing in the sevens world series, he helped France to a bronze and a gold. The victory in Carson, California in March was a first title in 19 years on the men’s sevens world circuit for the French.
