The government has announced a hefty reward package to each member of the Kenya Rising Lionesses following their historic gold medal win at the ongoing 4th Youth Olympics in Dakar, Senegal.
Sports Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi has revealed that each team member will be rewarded KSh 250,000 for their recent phenomenal performance in Senegal, where they set the record as the first-ever Kenyan team to win an Olympic gold medal.
The Lionesses clinched gold in rugby sevens after edging Australia 17-12 in the final to bag Kenya’s first gold in the ongoing games, being staged on African soil for the first time.
The PS said this on Saturday night when he hosted a dinner for the Rising Lionesses to celebrate their historic win.
“We are extremely proud of your performance. You went to Dakar and left with Kenya’s first-ever gold medal for a team sport at the Olympics. That is historic,” said the PS.
He further challenged the Kenya Rugby Union and other rugby stakeholders to focus on nurturing talents.
“From this team, we have what it takes to win top-level competitions; HSBC Division 1 and the World Championships. This team can deliver and bring us the World Cup,” said the PS.
He further said the government was investing in infrastructure as part of giving the talented youth the required environment to grow their talents and sporting skills.
Speaking at the event, the Rising Lionesses Team Captain Zain Mohammed said the Dakar experience was very critical for their growth and exposure. She admitted that the team gave it their all and was determined to win.
“It was an honor to play for the country and we gave it our best. As a result, we got the gold. We are very happy,” she said.
The Kenya Rugby Union Chairperson Harriet Oketch reiterated the federation’s commitment to pursuing excellence in sports as they seek to have the national teams play at the highest level.
