From Olympia to the Olympics: FC Olympia goalkeepers to compete in 2024 Paris Olympic Games 

After their successful stints in this season’s USL W League, two Artesians players are suiting up for their national teams in the women’s football event of the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris starting this week. 

FC Olympia was proud to announce on Tuesday that the club’s goalkeepers, Murphy Sheaff, and Shu Ohba, have been called up by the New Zealand and Japan Olympic teams, respectively, to compete in the Paris Games, wishing both the best as they are set to perform in the world’s biggest sporting competition. 

FC Olympia goalkeeper Murphy Sheaff joins the New Zealand contingent in the 2024 Summer Games in Paris.

The goalkeeping tandem has been sharing duties as the woman-between-the-gates in an undefeated round of games for FC Olympia in the Northwest Division of the recently finished USL W season. They combined for an unbelievable season of nine wins and one draw with only four goals conceded in those ten matches. 

After their stint in Olympia, they now have the chance for a medal push in one of the most prestigious honors in all of football.  

Both are relatively new in the international stage, only garnering their first senior team call-ups last May as New Zealand and Japan faced off in a FIFA-recognized friendly in Spain. Ohba garnered her first international appearance in that match after being substituted in the second half, while Sheaff was an unused substitute on the bench. Ohba and the Nadeshiko won that friendly match 2-0. 

FC Olympia goalkeeper Shu Ohba was honored after getting her first cap for Japan in May.

Now Sheaff and Ohba will be in separate groups at the Olympic Games, as the Ferns are grouped in quite a difficult bunch with hosts France, Colombia, and 2021 Tokyo Olympic gold medalists Canada. The Nadeshiko Japan, meanwhile, are in the so-called group of death with Nigeria, Brazil, and world champions Spain. 

Both teams kicked off their respective nations’ campaigns for the Olympic gold on July 25, 8 a.m. PST, just days before the Summer Games’s opening ceremony on Friday. Sheaff was an unused substitute as New Zealand fell 2-1 to Canada amidst the drone-spying controversy of the Canadian camp. Ohba likewise remained on the bench as Spain survived an early scare and defeated Japan, 2-1. 

Both nations with the Artesian representatives will continue their quest for gold on Sunday, July 28 with an 8 a.m. PST kickoff time. Sheaff and the Ferns face a Colombia side led by the young Real Madrid Femenino winger Linda Caicedo. Ohba and the Nadeshiko will face a Brazil side featuring perhaps the last dance of the iconic Marta, one of the very best to play the game.