![Sharni Williams is determined to replicate Australia's Commonwealth Games success at the Paris Olympics. Picture Getty Images Sharni Williams is determined to replicate Australia's Commonwealth Games success at the Paris Olympics. Picture Getty Images](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/GzY3iczng7SLWqVgHSV78t/b853b430-408b-4e7d-8df6-7dd7c9faf574.jpg/r0_93_3495_2058_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The more things change, the more things stay the same.
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That was among the first thoughts that popped into Sharni Williams head when she walked into the Sydney Football Stadium on Thursday morning.
The veteran had just announced a one-year contract extension with the Australian rugby sevens team and had arrived for the Australian Olympic Commission's processing event ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
It was Williams' third time at such an event, having competed in Rio in 2016 and Tokyo in 2021.
The 35-year-old is in a different phase of her life this time around, having married wife Mel in February and commenced planning for life after sport, so while many of the emotions were similar, there was also a different edge to Thursday's activities.
"Knowing the people around here, I've been on two campaigns and seeing their faces again [is great]," Williams said. "Having Anna [Meares] as chef de mission, I've watched her around the velodrome and caught up with her.
"It's nice to know I've got someone in my corner leading us who's been in our position and we'll know the athletes will get looked after."
Williams is one of the few of the Australian sevens trailblazers still involved in the national set up as a player, having featured in the first Women's World Series in 2012.
Since then, she has achieved everything there is to achieve in the sport. Olympic gold? Tick. Commonwealth Games gold? Tick. A World Series title? Tick. World Cup? Tick.
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So why stick around for one more year, especially after Williams finally achieved two of those goals during an incredibly successful 2022?
"It's going to be a challenge but that's why ultimately I did sign on," she said. "We put limits on ourselves. If I don't give it a go I might have resentment for not trying to do it while my body is still capable of it. My mental capacity is a lot stronger than it was the last two Olympics.
"It's about looking after me. I have to make choices and be a bit selfish in that aspect because it only comes around every four years and you need to to be able to see where you sit among people, it's part of life."
After winning gold in Rio, the Australian women struggled in Tokyo and were bundled out in the quarter-final.
The shock result inspired a run to a historic treble in 2022, the side claiming Commonwealth Games, World Series and World Cup glory.
So Can Australia return to the top step of the podium in 2024? Williams thinks so.
"We've definitely got the team to be able to do that," she said. "As disappointing as Tokyo was, we learnt a lot of valuable lessons in sport.
"You need to learn from the losses, you're not able to get that from wins. That's part of my driving force, the story wasn't written the way I wanted it to be in Tokyo, now I get to go out there and write it my way in Paris."
While retirement looms next July, Williams is yet to fully settle on what life after rugby sevens looks like.
She's eager to commit herself to new wife Mel and make up for all the time she's spent on the road.
A return to XVs rugby or a switch to the NRLW also remain options, however Williams isn't willing to contemplate any situation beyond the path to Paris.
"Rugby sevens is so intense, so brutal and we operate like a club," she said. "We're training every day, it's unlike any other sport.
"Yes, there might be options to play elsewhere but at the moment I'm focusing on getting to the Olympics, putting my name on that run sheet and making sure I make it to Paris. Then doors will open up after that."
William's new contract came as the Wallaroos announced a squad to play New Zealand on June 29.
Five ACT Brumbies were selected, youngsters Faitala Moleka, Jasmin Huriwai and Tabua Tuinakauvadra joining veterans Siokapesi Palu and Tania Naden.
Rugby Australia is eager to replicate the success of the women's sevens program in the XVs game, however resources are stretched and the Wallaroos are playing catch up with New Zealand and England.
Williams has featured at four XVs World Cups and urged RA to continue investing in the game.
"After a World Cup when we did so well, it shows the more investment we have in the Wallaroos, the better we get," she said.
"The sevens team has grown, the more we played the better we got, that came from being able to play in some tournaments."
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