Team GB’s Rugby 7’s captain Tom Mitchell, from Cuckfield, watched on as his teammates suffered double heartbreak ths morning as they missed out on a medal in Tokyo.
Mitchell, who watched on from the sidelines due to an injury which forced him off in their comeback win over the USA, saw his teammates beaten 29-7 by New Zealand in their semi-final before losing 17-12 to Argentina in their bronze medal match.
The defeats means they have missed out on a second successive podium finish after taking a silver medal in Rio five years ago.
Ben Harris’ early try put Britain ahead, but Argentina responded with tries from Lautaro Bazan Velez and Marcos Moneta, plus a Santiago Mare conversion.
Ollie Lindsay-Hague’s try early in the second period, converted by Bibby, tied the game, before Ignacio Mendy then scored the winning try to clinch bronze.
But speaking after the semi-final defeat a tearful Mitchell admits they had their eye on gold.
He said: “There is no shying away from the disappointment, there is no point in pretending that it’s not hurting.
"It is devastating. But a lot of what we talk about the opportunity to inspire people through what we are doing, which doesn’t stop now just because we have lost a semi-final.
"We know how good we are and we genuinely came in with an eye on the top spot.”
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