{{short description|Australian rugby union player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}} {{Use Australian English|date=November 2015}}
{{Infobox rugby biography | name = Nicole Beck | image = Nicole Beck takes an impact from Non Evans Ouch!!.jpg | caption = Beck takes an impact from Non Evans | birth_name = Nicole Elise Beck {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100%|OAM}} | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|5|28|df=yes}} | birth_place = Bulli, New South Wales, Australia | height = 1.68 m | weight = 66kg | school = Bulli High School | university = University of Wollongong | position = Wing | years1 = 2008–2009 | years2 = 2010– | clubs1 = Warringah | clubs2 = Sydney University | apps1 = 2 | apps2 = | points1 = 0 | points2 = | ru_clubupdate = 24 December 2010 | ru_currentclub = | province1 = Sydney | provinceyears1 = 2009– | provinceapps1 = 6 | provincepoints1 = 45 | ru_provinceupdate = 24 December 2010 | repteam1 = {{nwrut|Australia}} | repyears1 = 2008–2010 | repcaps1 = 8 | reppoints1 = 40 | ru_ntupdate = 24 December 2010 |repsevensyears1=2009– |repsevensteam1={{nwrut7|Australia}} |repsevenscomp1= | medals = {{MedalSport|Women's rugby sevens}} {{MedalCountry|{{AUS}}}} {{MedalCompetition|Olympic Games}} {{MedalGold|2016 Rio de Janeiro|Team competition}} {{MedalCompetition|Pacific Games}} {{MedalSilver|2015 Port Moresby|Team competition}} }}
'''Nicole Elise Beck''' {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100%|OAM}} (born 28 May 1988) is a female Australian rugby union player who plays as a wing for Australia, Sydney and Sydney University. She won a gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio.
==Career== A former Australian touch football representative, Beck was selected by Wallaroos coach Steve Hamson after just two games of 15-a-side rugby and made her international debut in the test match lost 36–3 to the Black Ferns on 14 October 2008 at Viking Park in Canberra.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/rugby/from-touch-footy-to-test-match-rugby/story-e6frey4i-1111117741314 |title=From touch footy to test match rugby |author=Jon Geddes |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=14 October 2008 |access-date=23 December 2010}}</ref> Only a few months before, Beck had been chosen to play with Australia Women's Sevens for the 2009 World Cup qualifiers scheduled on 25–26 July 2008 at Apia Park in Samoa.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rugby.com.au/news/australian_womens_sevens_squad_named,95602.html/news/archive/section/39652 |title=Australian Women's Sevens squad named for World Cup qualifiers |date=7 July 2008 |access-date=24 December 2010}}</ref> She scored a decisive try on full-time in the 22–15 win against New Zealand, claiming the Oceania Sevens champions title.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rugby.com.au/news/australian_women_win_oceania_sevens,100665.html/news/archive/section/101215 |title=Australian Women win Oceania Sevens |date=28 July 2008 |access-date=24 December 2010}}</ref>
The following year, Australia won the Rugby World Cup Sevens defeating 15-10 New Zealand in a final started with a try by Beck in the second minute and ended in extra-time with a golden point strike by Shelly Matcham.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rugby.com.au/news/rugby_world_cup_seven_wrap,128636.html/news/archive/section/21893 |title=Australia creates Sevens history in winning Women's World Cup title |date=8 March 2009 |access-date=24 December 2010}}</ref>
Beck played an important role in Australia's third place at the 2010 Women's Rugby World Cup, scoring 1 try, 11 conversions and 1 penalty, becoming one of the nominees for the 2010 IRB Women's Personality of the Year<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rwcwomens.com/home/news/newsid=2040208.html |title=Women's POY nominees |date=4 September 2010 |access-date=24 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100906093816/http://www.rwcwomens.com/home/news/newsid=2040208.html |archive-date=6 September 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and pulling off a great try-saving tackle on Fiona Pocock during the semi-final against England.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://rugbydump.blogspot.com/2010/09/incredible-try-saving-tackle-by.html |title=Incredible try saving tackle by Australia's Nicole Beck at the WRWC |date=2 September 2010 |access-date=24 December 2010}}</ref>
She was a member of Australia's team at the 2016 Olympics, defeating New Zealand in the final to win the inaugural Olympic gold medal in the sport.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.skynews.com.au/news/top-stories/2016/08/09/australia-s-gold-hunt-continues-in-rio.html |work=Sky News |title=Australia wins gold in women's rugby sevens |date=9 August 2016 |access-date=9 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.rugby.com.au/news/2016/07/13/22/38/sevens-olympic-team-announcement |title=Rio Olympics: Australian Sevens teams announced |last=Newman |first=Beth |date=14 July 2016 |website=www.rugby.com.au |publisher= |access-date=2016-09-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/rio-olympics-australias-mens-and-womens-sevens-squads-unveiled/news-story/3be2a35edc5da92b2c2a22ed27ccccf9?nk=2a1ee0f492fd5c206091eccc9735f456-1473815101 |title=Rio Olympics: Australia's men's and women's sevens squads unveiled |last= |first= |date=2016-07-14 |website=foxsports.com.au |publisher= |language=en-GB |access-date=2016-09-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-14/rio-20163a-olympic-squads-named-by-australia-for-rugby-sevens-/7628124 |title=Rio 2016: Olympic squads named by Australia for rugby sevens debut at Games |last= |first= |date=2016-07-14 |website=ABC.net.au |publisher= |language=en-AU |access-date=2016-09-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.rugbynews.net.au/australias-olympic-sevens-squads-announced/ |title=Australia's Olympic Sevens squads announced |last= |first= |date=2016 |website=Rugby News.net.au |publisher= |access-date=2016-09-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.espn.com.au/rugby/story/_/id/17065028/australia-name-mix-veterans-young-guns-mens-women-olympic-sevens-squads |title=Australia name a mix of veterans, young guns for men's, women's Olympic sevens squads |last= |first= |date=15 July 2016 |website=ESPN.com.au |publisher= |access-date=2016-09-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.worldrugby.org/sevens-series/news/175082?lang=en |title=Key players return as Australia name Olympic sevens squads |last= |first= |date=2016 |website=worldrugby.org |publisher= |language=en-gb |access-date=2016-09-14}}</ref>
== Personal life == Beck currently studies a Bachelor of Educational Studies at Charles Sturt University.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://athletes.csu.edu.au/#nicole |title=CSU Olympic Athletes – Nicole Beck |date=9 August 2016 |access-date=9 August 2016}}</ref>
At the 2017 Australia Day Honours she received the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to sport as a gold medallist at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.<ref>{{cite web |title=Nicole Elise Beck OAM |url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1154862 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |access-date=28 January 2017}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.rugby.com.au/sevens/Teams/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=267 Wallaroos Profile] * {{AOC profile|nicole-beck}} * {{Olympics.com profile|nicole-beck}} * {{SR/Olympics profile|be/nicole-beck-1}}
{{Australian 2010 Women's Rugby World Cup Squad}} {{Australia women's rugby sevens squad 2016 Summer Olympics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beck, Nicole}} Category:1988 births Category:Living people Category:Australia women's international rugby union players Category:Australian female rugby sevens players Category:Australian female rugby union players Category:Medalists at the 2016 Summer Olympics Category:Olympic gold medalists for Australia Category:Olympic medalists in rugby sevens Category:Olympic rugby sevens players for Australia Category:Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia Category:Rugby sevens players at the 2016 Summer Olympics Category:Rugby union players from Wollongong Category:Rugby union wings Category:Touch footballers Category:University of Wollongong alumni Category:Australia international rugby sevens players Category:Sportswomen from New South Wales Category:Sydney University Football Club players Category:Pacific Games silver medalists for Australia Category:Pacific Games medalists in rugby sevens Category:21st-century Australian sportswomen