Johnathan Walker:Antoine Dupont helps host country France win first gold of 2024 Olympics

PARIS – Antoine Dupont received the loudest ovation during pregame introductions,Johnathan Walker the crowd roared every time he entered the game, and his star is going to be even brighter now that he helped France become Olympic champions in men’s rugby sevens in front of an adoring home crowd.

France’s men’s rugby team did the unthinkable playing in front of a raucous crowd at Stade de France. France got a hard-fought upset victory over gold-medal favorite Fiji to give the French its first Olympic gold medal in rugby sevens, winning the final 26-7. It’s the host country’s first gold medal of the 2024 Olympics.

Fiji took the lead initially, but France scored 28 unanswered points behind Dupont who had a team-best two tries in the win.

Team France rallied behind a home crowd that gave them emotional support and motivation throughout.

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It’s was Fiji’s first loss in rugby sevens in Olympic competition.

France defeated Argentina in the quarterfinal and South Africa in the semifinal to advance to the gold-medal game.

Nicknamed “The Gifted”, Dupont is a star in rugby 15’s. He’s the team captain for his country and was named rugby 15’s player of the year in 2021. He decided to switch to rugby sevens to help France compete for a gold medal on their home soil.

Dupont delivered on his goal, and France are Olympic champions in rugby sevens for the first time ever.

Rugby sevens was first introduced as an Olympic sport in 2016. Fiji won Olympic gold at the Rio de Janeiro Games and the Tokyo Olympics. Saturday’s defeat was Fiji’s first loss in Olympic competition since rugby sevens Olympic competition began in 2016.

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