Heartbreak for Kenya Lionesses as Olympic dream dashed by China

The Kenya women's national rugby team, the Kenya Lionesses, saw their dream of making it to the 2024 Paris Olympics shattered after a 24-7 loss to China in a Monaco repechage.

China overpowered the Kenya Lionesses to secure their Olympic ticket, ending the Lionesses' hopes of qualifying for the Olympics for the third time in a row.

China opened the scoring just three minutes into the match before Janet Akello equalized for the Lionesses, bringing the score to 7-7. However, China managed an unconverted try to lead 12-7 at halftime.

In the second half, China continued their dominance with two more tries, while the Kenyan side, despite a valiant effort from players like Judith Okumu, Sharon Auma, and Grace Okulu, couldn't capitalize on their opportunities.

The Lionesses had a strong start in Monaco, topping Pool D with a commanding 31-5 victory over Samoa and a narrow 19-17 win against Argentina. These victories secured their progression to the quarter-finals, where they once again faced Argentina and triumphed with an emphatic 31-5 win.

The semi-finals presented a tougher challenge, but the Lionesses edged out the Czech Republic 12-10, setting the stage for the high-stakes final against China.

Kenya will now be represented by the men's side, Shujaa, in the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, scheduled from July 24th to August 11th in Paris, France.

The women’s Olympic lineup includes New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, and the USA as the top four qualifiers through the 2023 World Series, along with hosts France. They are joined by Brazil, Canada, Great Britain, South Africa, Fiji, and Japan, who qualified through regional tournaments.