Rugby: Kenya Lionesses inch closer to 2020 Olympic Games

Lioness sevens' during training at RFU grounds, March 28, 2019. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

The Kenya national women’s rugby Sevens team, Lionesses, is on the verge of qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Games after reaching the quarter-finals of the Africa Sevens-cum-Olympic qualifiers in Monastir, Tunisia yesterday.

Kenya, who are seeking to return to the Olympics after making their debut in Brazil in 2016, qualified for the last eight with a game to spare after thrashing debutants Ghana 36-0, before following it up with an emphatic 49-0 victory over Botswana in their second pool A contest.

Against the Ghanaians, Lionesses, who are chasing a second successive continental title, managed six tries and three conversions, with Mwamba RFC speedster Janet Okello crossing the whitewash twice.

The Kenyans took a 19-0 advantage to halftime, before completing the rout with three more tries and a solitary conversion.

The script was similar when the Felix Oloo-coached Lionesses tackled Botswana, as they put nine tries past the hapless southern Africans. 

In other matches, last year’s losing finalists Uganda lost 32-0 to tournament favourites South Africa, as hosts Tunisia beat Morocco 31-0.

Meanwhile, Strathmore Leos were crowned champions in the universities’ category of the Impala Floodlit tournament after dethroning University of Nairobi’s Mean Machine with a 26-16 win at the Impala Club.

Ofafa Jericho claimed the schools’ title following a 21-0 win over Muhuri Muchiri.

Ofafa Jericho’s Frank Oduor was feted as the Most Valuable Player.