AUSTRALIA made history in the early hours of Tuesday morning when our women’s rugby sevens side claimed the gold medal over arch-rivals New Zealand at the Rio Olympics.
It is the first year the sport has been in the Olympics and local girl Gemma Etheridge was part of the side.
Armidale born but Coolah raised, Gemma began playing rugby union just four years ago after being scouted at a touch football tournament against New Zealand.
Gemma’s parents live at Yarrowitch via Walcha and travelled over to see their daughter play for our country.
She nearly didn’t make the side after rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament just four months from the start of the games.
After undergoing LARS surgery Etheridge was successful in making the side and was there to celebrate the gold-medal 24 to 17 points victory against our trans-Tasman rivals.
