Demi Kennewell (nee Hayes) is proud to leave on a high, as the former Australia Sevens co-captain calls time on her career.
The 28-year-old announced her retirement on Wednesday, closing a decade-long journey in the program full of success.
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This includes the 2026 SVNS World Championship, inspiring Australia to victories in Valladolid and Bordeaux after multiple ACL injuries derailed her career.
"I didn't really imagine it to go that way, to be honest," she told Rugby.com.au in a sit-down interview.
"My whole entire goal was just to get back with a healthy knee and just put my best foot forward for selection. I was lucky enough to be selected and then to finish off with two wins... we beat the Kiwis in the semi-final and then to finish off in Bordeaux with a win, honestly could not have been better.
"I was so excited and super emotional to be able to finish on a high like that. It was picture perfect for me.
"I honestly couldn't have asked for a better finish and to be able to finish with the girls there, but also think of the girls back home and also everyone who's been involved in my career so far to be able to get me to that point was really, really special."
In this case, it's a lucky 13 for Kennewell: the number of World Series wins she has been a part of, a remarkable 38% success rate.
It's been a long journey from the 17-year-old teenager flung onto centre stage in Canada in 2026, having moved down from Queensland after just finishing school.
"I think I wrote all the girls letters before we went on these last two tournaments and that gave me an opportunity to reflect on my whole career," she explained.
"Moving to Sydney as a 17-year-old, there's just so many moments that I think back and how lucky I was to be able to live with the people I lived with when I first moved to Sydney, have my parents support me the whole entire way, be that young and be able to succeed, to be able to achieve as much as I did at a young age.
"Obviously with the injuries there, non-selections, but I think just being able to do that at such a young age with the group that I did, I look back and feel so lucky that they paved the way for me and then as the years went on, I was always really hoping that I'd be inspiring young girls and be able to do that as I got older and further into my career as well."
The Triple Crown in 2022 remains a career highlight: World Series, Commonwealth and Rugby Sevens World Cup gold, serving as co-captain alongside good friend Charlotte Caslick.
"The 2022 Triple Crown win was really special. I was also able to co-captain that with Charlotte Caslick, which was one of my absolute highlights during my career," Kennewell believes.
"I think that was just such a privilege to be able to even be half the captain that Shannon [Parry] and Sharni [Smale, nee Williams] were when I first joined the program and to be able to do that with 'Charlie' was really special.
"To get the Commonwealth Games gold, win the World Cup, win the World Series that year, I think, honestly, tops off my career. Obviously going to the Olympics as well was really, really special but those three are definitely massive highlights."
Outgoing coach Tim Walsh paid credit to Kennwell and her services, not only as skipper but as a dynamic player.
"Demi embodies the essence of an Australian Women's Sevens player and it’s been a privilege to work and grow with an athlete and person of her calibre," Walsh said. "When Demi arrived as a teenager in 2015 we went skydiving as a team activity and threw her out of a plane and she has been grounded ever since.
"She’s entered the program as a young girl and is exiting as a strong, resilient, successful and tough woman."
