By GPC Sports Reporter
Kenya’s Rising Lionesses claimed the country’s first gold medal at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games after edging Australia 17–12 in a dramatic sudden-death final.
The Kenyan women’s rugby sevens team produced a spirited comeback at Stade Iba Mar Diop in Dakar, overturning an earlier group-stage defeat to Australia to secure the title.
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The final was closely contested, with Australia opening the scoring before Kenya captain Zain Hido crossed the try line to level the scores at 5–5 at half-time.
Australia regained the lead after the break, extending their advantage to 12–5 with a converted try.
However, Kenya fought back through Josephine Kerubo, who scored the team’s second try, before Diana Wanjiku added the conversion to draw the sides level at 12–12 and force the match into extra time.
The Rising Lionesses then delivered the decisive score in sudden death to seal a memorable 17–12 victory.
The result was particularly sweet for Kenya, who had lost 17–5 to Australia in their final pool match.
Impressive route to the final
Kenya began the competition with a 12–5 victory over China before recording a commanding 19–0 win against hosts Senegal.
Despite the setback against Australia in the group stage, the team recovered to beat Madagascar 15–5 in the semi-finals and book their place in the gold-medal match.
Evarlyne Afande and Mitchel Mmboga, who scored twice, played key roles in the semi-final victory.
The final triumph completed an impressive campaign and gave Kenya a landmark achievement at the first Youth Olympic Games to be held on African soil.
The gold medal is also a major boost for women’s rugby in Kenya, underlining the potential of the country’s emerging players on the international stage.
The Rising Lionesses’ achievement is expected to inspire more girls to take up the sport and pursue opportunities in competitive rugby.
