Japan overpowers US in rough-and-tumble wheelchair rugby final to win historic gold

Japan won its first-ever gold medal in wheelchair rugby at Paris's Champs-de-Mars Arena Monday night, surging ahead of the US team at half-time. It was an infuriating night for the US, which has failed to win gold in the fast-paced sport – once known as "murderball" for its full-contact play-style – since 2008.

Murderball is relentless. Once a player has the ball, the shot-clock starts counting down; they have just 40 seconds to fight their way through the opposing side and drive it through the goalposts at the end of the court. This is easier said than done – wheelchair rugby, as it is now known, is a notoriously high-contact sport, and the blunt impact of wheelchair ramming wheelchair echoes non-stop through the arena.

The crowd loves it. After four days of fast-paced matches, the US is facing off against Japan for the gold medal, and the stands are packed with fans decked out in their countries' stars, stripes and rising sun.

Both teams have a lot riding on this match. The US, which historically dominated the sport since its rough beginnings in the 1970s, hasn't won gold since 2008, with a bronze and three silvers since then only sharpening their frustration. For Japan, this is the first time they've made it to the finals, and their team has only been getting stronger since they won bronze two Games running.

Aoki said he hadn't given up on coming away with gold in 2028.

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