Australian rugby sevens star Kaitlin Shave has had her childhood dream of reaching the Olympics cruelly cut short just minutes into her debut.
The medal-hunting Aussies secured their spot in the quarter-finals with a 34-5 win over South Africa before a 36-5 triumph over Great Britain on Sunday in Paris.
But the celebrations were tinged with disappointment for Shave, the Australian junior 100m sprint champion who first played for the sevens side last year.
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Olympic selection followed and Shave didn’t have to wait long to get on the field in Paris, only for the 23-year-old to be torn down by one of her very first involvements in Australia’s opener.
Shave caught a kick facing her own goal and collapsed to the turf with a knee injury when she planted her feet to make a turn.
She stayed down briefly and limped back to the line before playing on, only having a brief conversation with a team doctor during a break in play with 90 seconds left.
But it all became too much for Shave’s injured knee on the very next play.
She tackled South Africa’s Nadine Roos and looked instantly aware that she could no longer continue, this time staying down on the ground.
The play was reviewed and Shave was sent to the sin bin for a high tackle — at which point it was revealed she was in tears on the sideline, burying her face in her jersey as the referee poured salt in the wounds.
“The poor girl, you saw even on impact, the left knee, she just lifted it immediately, trailing the injured leg, and in doing so has picked up a yellow card,” Wallabies great Drew Mitchell said on Nine.
“Let’s hope it’s nothing too serious and we can see her back at some point throughout this tournament.”
The extent of Shave’s injury is unclear but the devastation on her face painted a grim picture for an Australian squad already missing Madison Ashby and Lily Dick due to ACL tears.
Shave was replaced in the squad by injury reserve Kahli Henwood, whose Olympic debut in the following match against Great Britain served as her first appearance for Australia in any competition.
Shave had just a day earlier celebrated receiving her first Olympic jersey in a ceremony overlooking the Eiffel Tower and attended by her parents and other family.
“Such a special moment I will never ever forget,” she wrote on Instagram.
“Seeing my beautiful family for the first time in Paris was such a surreal feeling, I’m so grateful for their on going support and love as well as from all the amazing friends and family at home.
“Thank you to anyone who has sent me kind messages over the past few weeks. I truly am one lucky girl to have such strong support crew, this jersey isn’t just for me but also for all of you.”
Shave’s selection, alongside best friend and fellow debutant Bella Nasser, was confirmed three weeks ago.
“It’s hard to find the words to describe how much this means to me…. but I’m going to the OLYMPICS!” Shave wrote.
“To the little girl who always dreamed of making an Olympic team…. you did it.”
Shave will now watch on from the sidelines when Australia take on Ireland in the final pool game on Monday ahead of the knockout rounds.
Her star teammate Maddison Levi is on track to break records after a magnificent seven-try haul in the wins over South Africa and Great Britain.
The most tries in any Olympic campaign is 10, with New Zealand’s Portia Woodman hitting double figures in the sport’s Rio 2016 debut when Australia won the gold medal.
Woodman scored five more in Tokyo and the triple Olympian has one so far in Paris.
Levi, who played AFLW for Gold Coast just nine weeks before her sevens debut in Tokyo, scored three times in that disappointing campaign.
“She is awesome, she is our little cheat code out there,” fellow try-scorer Teagan Levi said of her older sister Maddison.
“I am lucky to have her on my side. I would hate to be against her. She is such an amazing athlete, but if the people inside her don’t do their job, then she doesn’t get the balls outside.
“It is pretty special to play an Olympics, but by your sister’s side is also very special.”
Teagan Levi was yellow-carded for a professional foul against Great Britain and the Australians went down 5-0.
Tim Walsh’s side didn’t panic, winning possession then getting the ball out wide to Maddison Levi, who broke a tackle and raced 65m to score.
“Maddi has a role and that’s to finish … it isn’t the ‘Maddi show’, it’s the ‘Aussie sevens women’s show’ and she’s a beneficiary,” Walsh stressed.
“It takes an army to allow Maddi to do those kinds of things, but she’s pretty handy.”
– with AAP