AYIMBA EYES GOLD: 7s coach says team going for nothing short of top slot in Rio

Kenya rugby sevens playes Humphery Kayange (with the ball) with his teammates Oscar ouma (left) and Willie Ambaka lines up the ball in training session ahead of Rio Olympics 2016 at Nandi Bears Club in Nandi County on July 18, 2016.[PHOTO:DENNIS OKEYO/STANDARD]

Kenya Sevens rugby team head coach Benjamin Ayimba says his side is going for nothing short of a gold medal as the Kenya Lionesses target a top eight finish at Rio Olympic Games.

Kenya have been drawn in Group C against New Zealand, Great Britain and Japan.

Bouyed by their stunning Singapore Sevens victory in last year’s HSBC World Rugby Series, individual players’ accolades and three weeks training at at the high-altitude Nandi Bears in Nandi Hills, Ayimba is confident of a good outing in Rio de Janeiro.

“It was an exciting training experience in Nandi Hills. That was a great bonding session for this good mixture of players,” Ayimba said.

“We are in a tough pool which has teams we played last season,” Ayimba said during Team Kenya’s flag off ceremony at State House.

“The expectations are very high, but one thing for sure, no team is going to be a pushover. We are all determined to bring home the gold medal.

“Immediately we get out of the pool, the rest will take care of itself. We ended the season on a high note and it is my hope that the boys will continue with the same momentum.”

Ayimba, who will be working closely with the Kenya Lionesses coach Mike Shamiah, has also outlined the women’s team target.

“I will also be working closely with the women’s team to ensure they perform well. For them, a top eight finish is our target so that we can start preparing for the next Olympics as well as the series.”

His sentiments were echoed by world all-time top try scorer and assistant captain Collins Injera.

“Gold hunt is our main reason of going to Rio. Though excited, there is a little bit of nervousness about the Olympic but we just want to go there and give a good show and come back with a medal,” Injera said.

“We have had the best preparations in Nandi where we polished up on our weaknesses and tried different combinations before the selection was done.”

The Mwamba star was also quick to thank his fans for voting for him in the #TheGreatestMoment polls which has been running for the last two weeks.

“It’s a good thing to be just ahead in the polls and appear in the Hall of Fame museum. I was actually surprised but excited on how the votes came in.

“I thank the fans and Kenyans who really came out in numbers and vote for me,” said Injera.

The rugby teams depart for Brazil today, and the men’s side will play against Great Britain in their opening match on August 9 at 6pm.

Their second match is against New Zealand at 11.30pm and they will wind up their preliminary round with a match against Japan the following day at 6pm.