Kenya’s national Rugby Sevens team, Shujaa, is set to be the first Kenyan representatives to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games as the Rugby Sevens matches begin on Wednesday.

Kenya is also represented in athletics, fencing, judo, swimming, and volleyball, which all start after the opening ceremony on Friday.

Shujaa, competing in their third Olympic Games after Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, is in Group B with Argentina, Australia, and Samoa.

The tournament kicks off with a Group B match between Australia and Samoa at 4:30 pm EAT. Shujaa faces Argentina at 5 pm EAT, with all matches at the Stade de France, the main Olympic stadium. Shujaa will play Australia at 8 pm the same day, followed by their last group game against Samoa on Thursday at 3 pm.

Shujaa, under Coach Kevun Wambua, has a tough task ahead. Argentina finished second in the 2023-24 World Rugby Sevens Series Grand Finals, Australia placed seventh, and Samoa, finishing 11th, will all be challenging opponents.

Kenya has faced Argentina 36 times since 2012, winning 12 matches, the last victory in 2019. Argentina has won 23 times, with one draw. Against Australia, Kenya has also played 36 times since 2011, winning 6 matches. Kenya’s last win against Australia was in 2023.

Kenya is hopeful for a win against Samoa, having beaten them 19-12 in their last match in the 2023 World Rugby Sevens Series relegation playoffs. Kenya has 13 victories against Samoa in 35 matches since 2011. Samoa has won 22 times but is currently on a four-match losing streak.

Shujaa has never won an Olympic match but aims to change this record and potentially win Kenya’s first team sport medal at the Olympics. Kenya has won 113 Olympic medals, mostly in athletics, and a few in boxing.

The 2024 Shujaa squad, with an average age of 25, is the youngest and least experienced Kenyan team in Olympic Rugby Sevens. The squad for the 2016 Olympics had an average age of 26, while the 2020 team averaged 30 years old.

Coach Wambua acknowledges the challenges but remains optimistic. “We have a group of young players who have been very cooperative. We have blown hot and cold during the Challenger Series but you can only be as good as your last game, and our last game was good,” he said.

Kenya’s team includes captains Tony Omondi (Mwamba) and Vincent Onyala (KCB). Onyala and Herman Humwa are the only returning players from the last Olympics, joining an elite group of Kenyan players who have competed in two Olympic Games.

Andrew Amonde, the team’s strength and conditioning coach, is part of the technical bench, along with physio Lamech Bogonko and team manager Steve Sewe.

The Shujaa squad features John Okoth (24), Kevin Wekesa (24), George Ooro (24), Samuel Asati (25), Nygel Amaitsa (22), Brian Tanga (28), Patrick Odongo (22), Lamech Ambetsa (23), and Chrisant Ojwang (24). Reserves are Dennis Abukuse and Festus Shiasi, with Brian Mutugi as a training reserve.