Australia overcame Japan, 13-12, on an overtime golden goal from Georgia Latch to claim the bronze medal in a heart-pounding thriller at The World Games 2025 in the women’s sixes competition in Chengdu, China.
Absolute cinema 🎞️
— World Lacrosse (@WorldLacrosse) August 11, 2025
Georgia Latch's walk-off winner gives Australia the bronze at The World Games 2025 🇦🇺🥉#TWG2025 x #Lacrosse pic.twitter.com/D43ChfFpvX
Australia defended its bronze medal from the last edition of The World Games in 2022, and earned revenge on its budding rival Japan, who won in senior field in the title game of the 2025 Asia-Pacific Women’s Lacrosse Championship. Australia also has nine medals at the World Lacrosse Women’s Championship, last taking bronze in 2013.
“With lacrosse now being in the Olympics, it’s just something that people back home are really wanting to tune into lacrosse in Australia,” said Latch. “The sport all over the world is growing, but I think we’re going to go home with this medal and it’s going to grow the sport even more in Australia”
Monday’s contest, a perfect encapsulation of sixes lacrosse at its finest, featured a fascinating clash of styles between Australia’s speed and powerful shotmaking against Japan’s tireless motor, and creative passing sequences and crafty finishes.
The epic encounter featured five tied scores, three lead changes, a dramatic final save from Japan to end regulation and a three-goal second-half comeback from Australia cathartically capped by Latch’s pinpoint overtime strike.
“I saw the net ripple and it was a sort of a sense of relief but also that emotion that washes over you like a big wave,” said Latch.
Japan finished its campaign in Chengdu agonizingly close to a historic medal, but still posted its best ever finish at a senior women’s field event in fourth place.
Latch’s impressive display in the bronze medal game featured a game-high seven points on five goals and two assists.
Latch finished on the World Team at the competition with 18 goals and seven assists total to post the most points on Australia, joining two players from Canada and three from the United States.
Hannah Nielsen’s playmaking was paramount for Australia with one goal and five assists in the game. Addie Cunningham made five saves.
Japan saw impressive performances around the board from Kokoro Nakazawa, Negai Nakazawa and Chisa Kobayashi. Goalkeeper Runa Fujita made eight saves, including an acrobatic stop on Nielsen in the dying seconds of regulation with the game tied after an emphatic wind-up from the veteran.
Gallery
The seas sort of spread a little bit, and I saw my shot.
I was preparing myself that if was going to be me to have that shot, I was going to want to put it in the back of the net.
Georgia Latch
5 goals, 71% shooting percentage, 2 assists, game-winning goal
