Kenya’s Rising Lionesses have returned home to a heroic reception following their historic gold medal victory at the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games in Senegal.
The national rugby sevens team arrived back in the country after defeating Australia 17-12 in a thrilling final to secure Kenya’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in a team sport, across both the Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Games.
The team was welcomed on Friday morning by Director of Sports Douglas Ratemo, who joined members of the rugby fraternity in celebrating the players’ remarkable achievement.
In a statement, Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya congratulated the team, describing their triumph as a moment of national pride.
Mvurya also confirmed that the government would reward the players in recognition of their outstanding performance, in line with the established athlete reward scheme.
“In recognition of this exceptional achievement, the players will be rewarded in line with the Government’s established athlete reward scheme,” Mvurya stated.
He added that the government’s commitment to rewarding sporting excellence was aimed at celebrating achievements and motivating athletes to continue raising Kenya’s flag on the international stage.
The victory marks a significant milestone for Kenyan rugby and the country’s sporting history, with the Rising Lionesses etching their names in the record books through their impressive campaign in Dakar.
The champions’ return has sparked celebrations within the sporting fraternity, with their achievement highlighting the growing potential of women’s rugby in Kenya.
