Team GB's Rugby 7 women, featuring four stars with links to Twickenham, are just one win away from an Olympic medal.

They will take to the field against France in the semi-finals of the tournament against France at 3.30am on Saturday morning.

Victory will take them through to a final later in the day against either the tournament favourites New Zealand or Fiji. A defeat would still see them through to a bronze medal play-off.

Celia Quansah together with her partner Megan Jones, plus Emma Uren and Abi Burton have put in a series of remarkable performances against teams that many experts expected to beat them.

They have overcome serious adversity after losing their funding as a result of the impact of the pandemic, yet they fought back and undertook the most gruelling of training regimes to make them the fittest team chasing Olympic glory.

During the group stage, they beat the Russian Olympic Committee and Kenya, while losing narrowly to New Zealand after being well ahead for much of the game.

Today, they convincingly beat the USA by 21-12 after scoring tries early and then putting in a fabulous defensive performance, smothering the American team, who were previously unbeaten. The USA had beaten the reigning Olympic champions, Australia, in the pool stages.

Celia, aged 25, and Emma, 23, both studied at Orleans Park School, in Twickenham, where staff wished them well before the tournament.

Meg, aged 24, who has joint Welsh-English heritage, is now an adopted local as is Abi, aged 21, who is studying at St Mary's University, in Twickenham.

Speaking after the victory against the USA, Meg, who is co-captain, told the BBC: "We are not soft, we've got heart.

"We may be smaller than the other nations but we have got some energy in us that I can't explain. I am oozing with pride.

"We are here to take home gold."

Celia's mother Clare, who has lived in the area all her life, said: "They are having the time of their lives! All very happy.

"It was the first time we heard Meg say they'd come for gold during her interview this morning."

There are plans to get the family together to watch the remaining matches on Saturday morning.

The family home in Whitton Dene has been decked with messages of support wishing the women well.

Emma Uren studied Strength and Conditioning at St Mary's University and graduated in 2020, while Abi Burton, who originates from Yorkshire, is currently studying Sport Science at the university.