Kenya Lionesses, the national sevens team will be chasing to represent the country at the Olympic Games in Tokyo Japan as they take on the Africa Women’s Sevens this weekend in Tunisia at the Mustapha Ben Jannet Stadium in Monastir.
Winners of the tournament will qualify directly for Olympic Games while silver and bronze medallists will have another opportunity to qualify by competing in a global repechage tournament to be held in June 2020.
The first and second placed teams will be able to participate for the World Rugby Sevens Series qualifier tournament.
Africa giants South Africa withdrew from competing at the Games but will compete for a chance to qualify for the World Series qualifier event.
Kenya lost to SA in 2015 to lose the 2016 Olympics qualification but the Springboks women pulled out handing Kenya the chance.
With the Olympics and the World Rugby Sevens Series just around the corner, many sides have been investing into their Sevens programme meaning there is a lot at stake for the teams and the qualifier tournament will showcase competitive matches. The participating teams are (in current African ranking order) Kenya, Uganda, Tunisia, Madagascar, Zimbabwe, Senegal, Botswana, Zambia, Morocco, Mauritius, South Africa, and Ghana.
South Africa withdrew from the 2018 edition, it therefore now ranks 11th out of the 12 teams.
Kenya Lionesses Team Cynthia Camilla(Menengai Cream Homeboyz), Janet Okello(Stanbic Mwamba), Grace Adhiambo(Top Fry Nakuru), Celestine Masinde(Stanbic Mwamba), Diana Awino(Impala Saracens), Leah Wambui(Menengai Cream Homeboyz), Janet Owino(Menengai Cream Homeboyz), Vivian Akumu(Top Fry Nakuru), Christabel Lindo(Impala Saracens) and Stella Wafula(Impala Saracens), Philadelphia Olando(Northern Suburbs), Sheila Chajira(Menengai Cream Homeboyz).
Africa Women’s Sevens Pools
Pool A: Kenya, Senegal, Ghana,
Botswana
Pool B: Uganda, South Africa,
Zimbabwe, Zambia
Pool C: Tunisia, Morocco, Mauritius,
Madagascar