A primary-hand account of what it’s prefer to turn out to be an Olympian with Group GB’s Ellie Kildunne
The Paris 2024 Olympic Video games noticed the game of rugby sevens seize the creativeness of latest followers world wide. From Ilona Maher’s social sensation to Eire ladies’s viral heroics, it lastly had its Olympic second.
Centre to all of it was Group GB’s Ellie Kildunne. In her first-ever Olympic Video games, the 24-year-old rejoined the sevens setup following a stellar 15s season with Harlequins and the England Pink Roses.
Whereas there, Kildunne gave Rugby World an unique look into what it’s prefer to dwell within the Olympic village, stumble upon Serena Williams and realise a dream in changing into an Olympian…
THE JOURNEY TO THE GAMES
Ellie Kildunne on the Eiffel Tower, Paris 2024 Olympic Video games (Ellie Kildunne)
I used to be so near being an Olympian in Tokyo and it was such a troublesome resolution to step away from sevens THE once I did. It remained an itch I wanted to scratch. With the brand new England XVs teaching workers coming in, with John Mitchell as head coach, I assumed if I’m going to ask about it then now’s the time. I used to be ready for the worst, so I didn’t get my hopes too excessive. After which I simply was on a name with Mitch and informed him how a lot it will imply to me to go to an Olympics. And he form of simply stated, “Yeah, why not?”
To have that simply lifted a lot weight off my shoulders, as a result of I assumed it was going to be a extremely troublesome dialog to have. I assumed it was going to be forwards and backwards, however he stated he was by no means going to face in the best way of anybody eager to observe their goals. After I went again into the set-up with Meg Jones, the women welcomed us with open arms. It was as if we’d by no means been away. They’re a particular group of women. I actually can’t clarify how wonderful they’re, the tradition they’ve created, all of the issues that they’ve been by, all of the arduous occasions.
For the precise choice, we have been informed we have been going to get a telephone name at seven o’clock within the night. Seven o’clock handed. Worst. Case. State of affairs. As a lot as this could imply every part to me, to be a dream come true, I simply have to return into 15s. Then the message got here by that I’d made the workforce. I used to be lucky to file the entire thing on one among my cameras. I known as my mum. She began crying, I began crying. And it simply hit me that I’m gonna be an Olympian.
REALISING THE DREAM
Group GB ladies’s rugby sevens workforce, Paris 2024 Olympic Video games (Ellie Kildunne)
I’ve managed to elucidate what the sensation was like being an Olympian. So on the final day of the Olympics, I spent about two hours switching off my telephone, and I simply walked across the village. I’m within the village with all these athletes which have educated for 4 years to be an Olympian. Now, the previous 4 years, I’ve not recognized that it’s been a risk to be an Olympian. That doesn’t imply I haven’t wished it, as a result of I’ve all the time wished it, however I hadn’t had these 4 years with it as a sole focus.
And it hasn’t actually hit me but as a result of I’ve gone straight into camp with England once more. Life is going on in moments and they’re coming so shortly after one another. One minute, I’m Six Nations Participant of the Championship. Subsequent minute, I’m an Olympian. Subsequent minute, we’re hopefully going to win WXV. Then it’s the Six Nations once more, then a house World Cup. And these moments come so quick that you just don’t all the time have time to take a seat and course of what’s simply occurred. Changing into an Olympian is a second that I’ll in all probability take time to course of. Course of working out for the primary sport, course of getting my Olympic rings tattoo.
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In camp now, the women are asking me how was it? I haven’t actually discovered the phrases to explain precisely how
it was. I simply preserve saying it was insane. It’s but to hit me.
THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE
Olympic Rings, Paris 2024 Olympic Video games (Ellie Kildunne)
The Olympic Village is a particular place. You recognize, you stroll round and also you’ve obtained all these blocks which are devoted to completely different nations with everybody strolling round of their nation’s package. It was like being in a online game, that’s how I can greatest clarify it!
It’s such as you’ve obtained gamers in a sport. You’re one character after which there’s different characters strolling round, and you then stumble upon Serena Williams, and like, effectively, that’s one other unlocked character. It’s so surreal like that. You have got all these wonderful individuals with wonderful tales simply strolling round, using on the free bikes, having espresso, enjoyable. You’d then see somebody doing wheelies down the street.
Serena Williams, Paris 2024 Olympic Video games (Ellie Kildunne)
It felt like I belonged there however on the identical time, it felt like, wow, am I actually right here? As if Andy Murray is simply sitting having a cup of tea subsequent to me. It’s these small moments that you just realise what you’re doing is fairly particular. We’re elite athletes and we do all 100% belong right here.
“Wow, am I actually right here? As if Andy Murray is sitting having a cup of tea subsequent to me”
I used to be strolling round at some point and there have been a number of athletes sitting on the Fijian home. They have been sitting round singing, enjoying guitar and having enjoyable. I sat and watched them for ten minutes and so they invited me over. These are reminiscences that may dwell with me perpetually. And one other factor that was actually cool is that every part was free. You went as much as the snack bars, obtained an ice cream, and so they stated, “Okay, thanks. Bye.” And that was fairly cool. And I obtained a free Samsung flip telephone which I’m calling my work telephone. It felt such as you’re in a totally completely different world.
OPENING CEREMONY
Group Ghana on the Opening Ceremony, Paris 2024 Olympic Video games (Ellie Kildunne)
With the timing of the sevens occasion, we couldn’t be a part of the opening ceremony on the River Seine however we have been nonetheless concerned within the village.
We went outdoors our home and we clapped the athletes off who have been going to the ceremony. We additionally ended up clapping a number of the smaller nations that have been a number of blocks down from us as a result of they walked by as effectively, which was very particular to do. As soon as they got here by I used to be like, “I must go get my digicam.”
I ran off with one of many women and once I say the heavens opened, as quickly as we began going it was torrential rain. I grabbed a type of emergency ponchos and wrapped it round my digicam as a result of I wished to get pictures of everybody.
What was good is that we obtained to look at a number of the wonderful outfits that have been on present. All these completely different cultures gown in a sure method, and we have been in a position to see that, and that was actually, actually particular to see that, as a result of often you see everybody in sports activities package and also you mix into one.
It was of their opening ceremony outfits that you just realised there’s so many various nations right here, with a great deal of completely different backgrounds and experiences. I managed to get some footage of athletes from Ghana and Sri Lanka earlier than the rain actually began. They appeared so good.
Our ceremony outfit was made by Ben Sherman, it wasn’t fairly the identical. Experiencing a number of the completely different cultures which are on the Video games was very particular as effectively. I attempted to get a number of extra pictures however I obtained a message on my digicam that I used to be getting a moist lens due to the rain, so I needed to name it a day.
THE GAMES ITSELF
Stade de France, Paris 2024 Olympic Video games (Ellie Kildunne)
We have been the primary sport of the Olympics for girls’s rugby sevens. We had already watched the boys’s occasion and noticed it was a sell-out. And I feel being a feminine participant, you’re all the time conditioned to assume that we’re not going to have the ability to do this, however, oh my, have been we proved mistaken. As we arrived on the floor to go for the warm-up, I caught a glimpse of the stadium by one of many tunnels. I may see there have been a number of individuals there however not a packed home. I assumed, it’s the primary sport, no matter, it’ll get busier. We then didn’t see the pitch till we ran out for the sport.
If you run out, it’s nearly like Britain’s Obtained Expertise, you don’t see the stadium till you’re on the pitch. After we ran out, and realised the stadium was packed, I couldn’t imagine it. All of us obtained to the center of the pitch, checked out one another and giggled, as a result of it was like, that is loopy.
“Experiencing a number of the completely different cultures which are on the Video games was very particular”
Then it was fast, fast, proper, okay, we go into this sport now, focus. I’ve performed in nearly-sold out stadiums with 15s and this felt completely different. In 15s, you may have dwelling and away, so it’s very, very loud at sure factors. It’s loud in sevens however completely different. The gang is made up of so many various teams of individuals collectively from completely different sports activities from completely different nations.
Followers on the rugby sevens, Paris 2024 Olympic Video games (Ellie Kildunne)
It felt like a noise that was there on a regular basis, so you might form of hear everyone. I didn’t wrestle speaking, whereas within the 15s typically it’s arduous to listen to the particular person subsequent to you. Then each time I caught a breather, which isn’t typically in sevens, I’d search for on the crowd and it was a bit like, that is loopy. Usually, I really like having the ability to spot my household within the crowd, however there have been so many individuals there, you might by no means spot them. It was unimaginable nevertheless it was additionally robust. The USA sport was completely heartbreaking, as we knew it took us out of being in a medal-winning place once you’ve labored so arduous for it.
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We all know we are able to beat America, yeah, however in sevens, something can occur.One thing that I’ve discovered from this expertise is the power to bounce again in such a brief period of time. In 15s, for those who lose the sport, you’ve obtained a full week till the subsequent one. In sevens, we had an evening. All of us got here again to the village, sat in one of many women’ rooms, had a cup of tea and simply spoke. It wasn’t even about rugby. Then we have been prepared for the subsequent day.
THE MOMENT & THE LEGACY
Group GB ladies’s rugby sevens workforce pitchside, Paris 2024 Olympic Video games (Ellie Kildunne)
We’re continuously reminded as feminine gamers that we’re X quantity of years behind the boys’s sport. That we’re the place the boys have been 20 years in the past, no matter it could be. I don’t agree and I feel this Olympics proved that.
Social media has put us into the highlight. It’s telling individuals’s tales and capturing imaginations world wide. Moments like when Erin King of Eire lifted and held Emily Lane over her head and it went viral. Ilona Maher changing into one of many largest names of the Olympics. We at the moment are accessible to everybody on the planet. It exhibits everyone what we are able to do as gamers, which is basically, actually thrilling.
I feel ladies’s rugby may have a large second going ahead due to the Video games and we are able to seize that in future occasions once more, whether or not that be in WXV or a Six Nations or Premiership Girls’s Rugby. It’s simply going to be a curler coaster of a number of highs and I can’t wait to be part of it. Proper now, I can’t say what ladies’s rugby goes to appear like sooner or later – however I do know it’s going to be completely huge.
The Olympic diary of Ellie Kildunne featured in Concern 302 of Rugby World.
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