Dupont leads France to a gold medal in Olympic rugby sevens, ending Fiji's dominance

SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — In a seven-minute clinic that'll long define his legacy, Antoine Dupont scored two tries and created another to deliver a coveted gold medal for France and end two-time champion Fiji's Olympic dominance in rugby sevens.

One of the world's best rugby players, Dupont was saved for the second half on Saturday in a tactical ploy that worked to perfection when he swung momentum with his first touch of the ball and then guided France to an emphatic 28-7 victory.

The mercurial playmaker skipped the Six Nations tournament and switched his attention from the traditional 15s format to rugby sevens in March to chase his once-in-a-lifetime chance to win an Olympic gold medal on home soil.

He can return to the French XV as an Olympic champion, at least partly erasing the pain of his Rugby World Cup disappointment on home soil last year.

“Just a huge award for us, for rugby, for all the country,” Dupont said. "We really felt that we represent rugby, but we represent all the French sport as well.

“We are really proud to start the Olympics like that.”

The French men didn't qualify for the previous Olympics in Tokyo, but can proudly boast France's first gold of the Paris Games. With Dupont on board, the French this season won their first title on the world sevens series circuit in almost two decades and added victory in the series finale as well.

Fiji had never lost a rugby sevens game at the Olympics, taking a 17-game winning streak into the title decider, and was peaking for the biggest event as usual after an uncharacteristically inconsistent showing in the world series circuit.

“I know the bar is set really high by the 2016 and 2020 squads — but it’s no mean feat winning a silver medal at the Olympics," Fiji coach Osea Kolinisau said. “We wanted to keep the legacy going ... we just fell short.”

A contest between Dupont and Jerry Tuwai, the two-time Olympic gold medalist and rugby sevens player of the decade, was pivotal.

The defending champions scored first and it was 7-7 when Dupont went onto the field just after halftime.

Almost immediately he took off down the left sideline on a long-range run deep into Fiji’s, beating Tuwai's attempted tackle as he unloaded a pass to Aaron Grandidier Nkanang to give France a 14-7 lead.

His pair of late tries were just the icing for a raucous 69,000 capacity crowd.

France's win captured the attention of the host nation, where rugby has long been a source of pride but also some hurt — the French have never won the Rugby World Cup in the 15-a-side format, the pinnacle event in the sport.

Rugby sevens usually takes a backseat to 15s among the sport’s elite — until it comes to the Olympics, when the almost non-stop attacking nature of the game and the booming music lend a party vibe to the tournaments.

The celebrations weren't contained to the Stade de France, with fans watching tennis stars Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz compete together in doubles at Court Philippe Chatrier in Roland Garros rising to applaud and yell and wave their French flags, then breaking into a song of “Allez, Les Bleus!”

And it did keep going. The French sevens squad collected their gold medals atop the podium, then joined together and danced in the middle of the field.

South Africa won the bronze medal despite conceding two late tries in the third-place match, with Shaun Williams making the most of an overlap in the last moments to beat Australia 26-19.

The South Africans, who also won the bronze at the Rio de Janeiro Games in 2016, had a one-man advantage after Australian captain Nick Malouf was red carded in the second half for a high tackle. The Australians rallied with two tries to level but weren’t able to send the game to extra time.

New Zealand beat Ireland 17-7 for fifth place and Argentina beat the U.S. men 19-0 in the seventh-place playoff.

The tournament started with great expectations for the French squad, but it didn’t go according to plan on the opening day Wednesday — two days before the official opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics.

The home team opened with a surprising 12-12 draw against the U.S., struggled against Uruguay and then lost 19-12 to Fiji in the group stage. That was followed by a gritty win over Argentina in the quarterfinals and a 19-5 comeback win over South Africa in the semifinals.

France coach Jerome Daret described Dupont as "the cement between the bricks that solidified our performances.”

Converting to rugby's abbreviated version, which is contested by teams of seven playing multiple games daily across multiple days on a regulation field, has never been easy for the top players in 15s. Dupont didn't show it.

“The fact he was on the pitch meant there was a lot of pressure put on the opponents," Daret said, “and a lot more support for our team.”

Dupont faced a media scrum under the stadium after the final, where it was put to him that there's many people calling him an all-time best.

“It’s always a pleasure to read some article like that but, honestly, I don’t really spend a lot of time on that,” he said. “I just focus on my objective.”

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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

The teams line up as the national anthems are played just before the start of the men's gold medal Rugby Sevens match between France and Fiji at the 2024 Summer Olympics, in the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, France, Saturday, July 27, 2024. France won the match and the gold medal 28-7. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

The French team celebrate towards the fans after winning the men's gold medal Rugby Sevens match between France and Fiji at the 2024 Summer Olympics, in the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, France, Saturday, July 27, 2024. France won the match and the gold medal 28-7. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

Antoine Dupont of France holds up his gold medal as he looks at his mobile phone as he celebrates after France won the men's Rugby Sevens gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics, in the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, France, Saturday, July 27, 2024. France defeated Fiji in the gold medal match 28-7. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

Australia's Hayden Sargeant, top, is tackled by South Africa's Tristan Leyds during the men's bronze medal Rugby Sevens match between South Africa and Australia at the 2024 Summer Olympics, in the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, France, Saturday, July 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Aaron Grandidier Nkanang of France, left tackled by South Africa's Impi Visser during the men's semifinal Rugby Sevens match between South Africa and France at the 2024 Summer Olympics, in the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, France, Saturday, July 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

Fiji's Jerry Tuwai gets the ball away from a scum uring the men's gold medal Rugby Sevens match between France and Fiji at the 2024 Summer Olympics, in the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, France, Saturday, July 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

Fiji's Joseva Talacolo, left gets past the tackle of Stephen Parez Edo Martin of France during the men's gold medal Rugby Sevens match between France and Fiji at the 2024 Summer Olympics, in the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, France, Saturday, July 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Members of the medal teams, gold France, silver Fiji, and bronze South Africa, pose for the photographers with their medals after the medal ceremony for the Rugby Sevens at the 2024 Summer Olympics, in the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, France, Saturday, July 27, 2024. France defeated Fiji in the gold match 28-7. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

The President of France Emmanuel Macron, top row centre, celebrates after Antoine Dupont of France scored a try during the men's gold medal Rugby Sevens match between France and Fiji at the 2024 Summer Olympics, in the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, France, Saturday, July 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Antoine Zeghdar of France celebrates after the end of the men's gold medal Rugby Sevens match between France and Fiji at the 2024 Summer Olympics, in the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, France, Saturday, July 27, 2024. France won the match and the gold medal 28-7. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Members of the 'French team celebrate after winning the men's gold medal Rugby Sevens match between France and Fiji at the 2024 Summer Olympics, in the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, France, Saturday, July 27, 2024. France won the match 28-7 .(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Antoine Dupont of France races clear of Fiji's Waisea Nacuqu to score a try during the men's gold medal Rugby Sevens match between France and Fiji at the 2024 Summer Olympics, in the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, France, Saturday, July 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Antoine Dupont of France kisses his gold medal as he celebrates after France won the men's Rugby Sevens gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics, in the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, France, Saturday, July 27, 2024. France defeated Fiji in the gold medal match 28-7. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

MAGDEBURG, Germany (AP) — Germany on Saturday was still in shock and struggling to understand the suspect behind the attack in the city of Magdeburg.

Identified by local media as 50-year-old Taleb A., a psychiatry and psychotherapy specialist, authorities said he has been living in Germany for two decades. He was arrested on site after plowing a black BMW into a Christmas market crowded with holiday shoppers Friday evening, killing at least five people and wounding about 200 others.

Prominent German terrorism expert Peter Neumann posted on X that he had yet to come across a suspect in an act of mass violence with that profile.

Taleb’s X account is filled with tweets and retweets focusing on anti-Islam themes and criticism of the religion while sharing congratulatory notes to Muslims who left the faith. He also described himself as a former Muslim.

He was critical of German authorities, saying they had failed to do enough to combat the “Islamism of Europe.”

He has also voiced support for the far-right and anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

Some described Taleb as an activist who helped Saudi women flee their homeland. Recently, he seemed focused on his theory that German authorities have been targeting Saudi asylum seekers.

Neumann, the terrorism expert, wrote: “After 25 years in this ‘business’ you think nothing could surprise you anymore. But a 50-year-old Saudi ex-Muslim who lives in East Germany, loves the AfD and wants to punish Germany for its tolerance towards Islamists — that really wasn’t on my radar."

On Saturday, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser told reporters: “At this point, we can only say for sure that the perpetrator was evidently Islamophobic – we can confirm that. Everything else is a matter for further investigation and we have to wait.”

A German-based organization called Athiest Refugee Relief said the alleged attacker was not a part of the group and claimed that he made “numerous accusations and claims” against it and former board members, which it said were false.

“We distance ourselves from him in the strongest terms," the group said in a statement on its website, adding that members of Atheist Refugee Relief filed a criminal complaint against him in 2019 following “the most foul slander and verbal attacks."

An image taken from a video shows police officers arresting a suspect after car drove into a crowd at the Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, Friday Dec. 20, 2024. (TNN/DPA via AP)

A person stands by flowers and candles placed outside St. John's Church near a Christmas Market, where a car drove into a crowd on Friday evening, in Magdeburg, Germany, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)