Kenya’s Rising Lionesses received a heroine’s welcome following their historic triumph at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, where they secured the country’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in a team sport.
The U18 women’s rugby Sevens side stunned tournament favourites Australia 17-12 in a dramatic gold-medal final on Tuesday at Stade Iba Mar Diop in Dakar, Senegal, sealing victory with a sudden-death extra-time try.
Head coach Knight Otuoma attributed the historic achievement to thorough preparation, teamwork and effective squad management, particularly during the group stage, when he rotated his players to keep them fresh for the knockout rounds.
“It’s been a tough tournament, but we had prepared well. I just told the girls to go in and have fun. This means that the future of rugby is bright,” Otuoma said.
The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K), in a statement following the team’s return home on Friday, described the achievement as a defining moment in Kenyan sport, saying the victory represented more than a medal but a message of courage, determination and possibility for the next generation of athletes.
“You have made history. You have made Kenya proud. You have inspired a generation,” the committee said.
The triumph was particularly remarkable given that Australia had beaten Kenya 17-5 in their final pool match earlier in the competition.
Kenya had to overturn a 12-5 deficit in the final, with Josephine Kerubo scoring a late try before Diana Wanjiku converted to force extra time at 12-12. Mitchelle Chemtai then crossed for the decisive try to secure the gold medal.
The victory also marked the first time an African nation had won Olympic or Youth Olympic Games gold in rugby sevens, according to World Rugby and the International Olympic Committee.
Kenya’s path to the final was built on a strong response throughout the demanding three-day competition. The Rising Lionesses opened their campaign with a 12-5 victory over China before dispatching hosts Senegal 19-0 to strengthen their semi-final qualification hopes.
Their only pool-stage defeat came against Australia, who won 17-5 to finish top of the group. However, Otuoma’s charges bounced back in the semi-finals, defeating Madagascar 15-5 to set up a rematch with the Australians.
The gold-medal success was also a testament to the growth of young talent in the country, with World Rugby reporting that several members of the Kenyan squad had only taken up rugby a year before the competition.
The achievement carries added significance for Kenyan rugby, which has traditionally relied heavily on the men’s national sevens team, Shujaa, to fly the country’s flag on the international stage.
The Rising Lionesses’ triumph provides a major boost to the women’s game, demonstrating the potential of Kenya’s talent development structures to produce competitive teams capable of challenging established rugby nations.
Their victory was also significant for the continent, coming at the first Youth Olympic Games to be staged on African soil.
NOC-K said the champions had inspired a new generation of Kenyan athletes to dream bigger, believe in themselves and pursue sporting excellence.
The team’s homecoming comes as Kenya prepares to host the 2026 Rugby Africa Women’s Sevens Championship at the RFUEA Grounds in Nairobi on November 7-8, providing another opportunity to build momentum for women’s rugby in the country.
