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Great Britain’s hopes of a medal at the Flag Football World Championships were dashed as the women’s team were beaten by Japan on Thursday.<\/b><\/p>\n
GB started the day with a last-16 match against Switzerland and won 35-26, with Emily Kemp scoring four touchdowns.<\/p>\n
GB, ranked fourth in the world after winning last year’s European Championships, then faced Japan in the quarter-finals and suffered a 40-34 defeat.<\/p>\n
Kemp again scored four touchdowns but third-ranked Japan claimed the game-winning score with 29 seconds remaining.<\/p>\n
GB then faced Canada to help determine fifth to eighth place, and Canada edged a 48-47 shootout, despite GB quarterback Brittany Botterill throwing seven touchdown passes – five to Kemp.<\/p>\n
GB’s women now face a crucial game against Italy on Friday. The winners will clinch seventh place – and only the top seven teams qualify for the 2025 World Games in China.<\/p>\n
A last-16 defeat for GB’s men on Wednesday<\/a> left them battling for a spot between ninth and 16th, and they won 34-28 against Spain before beating Japan 36-34.<\/p>\n That means GB, ranked 15th in the world, face eighth-ranked Israel on Friday to determine who finishes ninth.<\/p>\n The tournament in Finland marks the start of the Olympic cycle for flag football, which has been added to the programme for LA 2028.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n