Rio Olympics 2016: Jasmine Joyce targets rugby sevens gold

Jasmine Joyce has taken a sabbatical from her university studies to concentrate on her rugby career

Team GB rugby sevens wing Jasmine Joyce says her side are aiming for an historic gold in Rio as they prepare to take on hosts Brazil on Saturday.

Women's rugby sevens appears at the Olympics for the first time and Joyce, 20, is the only Welsh player to make the otherwise all-English GB squad.

"We're coming out here to achieve a medal and hopefully gold," she said.

"Sevens is a game anything can happen, anyone can win. You might be up top and five seconds later you're losing."

On the prospect of facing Brazil in their opening Pool C game, Joyce said: "We're just going to take it like it's any other team, go out there fighting. It's going to be one of our hardest games."

Team GB also face Japan on Saturday, before a match against Canada on Sunday with the quarter-finals to follow.

• Day-by-day guide to what's on

Women's rugby sevens appears in the Olympics for the first time in Rio, though the men's event last took place at the 1924 Games in Paris

Life in Brazil and meeting Usain Bolt

The only non-English member of the squad, Joyce says she has settled in well and is enjoying the experience.

"The facilities here are amazing, we are loving every second of it," she said.

"We get free time and chances to play monopoly, cards and we're all loving Mario Kart [a video game].

"It's honestly amazing and one of the best experiences I can ever imagine."

The Team GB squad have now arrived in the athletes' village in Rio after a training camp in Belo Horizonte.

"I think it's going to be completely different level of excitement in the athletes' village. It will be amazing to get to be with everyone else," said Joyce.

"Imagine just walking past Usain Bolt, Mo Farah and Andy Murray. It would be a dream come true."

Home support

Joyce, from St David's in west Wales, is the first Welsh women's rugby player to compete in the Olympics, something which she says is "pretty insane".

"I'm getting so much support," Joyce added.

"When I went home a couple of weeks ago to my parents' house they had the GB flags and the Welsh flags all around the house.

"I live in a little city and they're all cheering for me and wishing me good luck, giving me cards. I've had amazing support."

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