Shujaa, Lionesses get a feel of Kenya’s pre-Olympics camp in Miramas ahead of major assignments

Kenya Lionesses and Shujaa in camp in Miramas. Photo: NOC-K.

Shujaa, Lionesses get a feel of Kenya’s pre-Olympics camp in Miramas ahead of major assignments

Joel Omotto 08:10 - 24.05.2024

Shujaa and Lionesses have camped in Miramas, France ahead of their respective World Series playoffs and Olympics qualifiers with the city set to host Team Kenya before Paris Olympics.

Kenya Sevens and Lionesses are the first teams to have a feel of Kenya’s pre-Olympics camp as they are already in Miramas, France ahead of upcoming assignments.

Shujaa, after their impressive qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games against former African champions South Africa, have been diligently concentrating on reclaiming their core status in the HSBC World Rugby Series.

This series not only acts as a crucial stepping stone for their Olympic preparations, now just 63 days away, but also serves as a platform to fine-tune their skills and strategies.

Kevin Wambua’s men finished fifth in the 2024 Challenger Series final leg in Munich, Germany last weekend, but had done enough to secure a top four place, following a first and third positions respectively in the first two legs in Dubai and Montevideo, which sees them qualify for the World Series promotion-relegation playoff in Madrid, Spain next month.

Shujaa are in Pool B against hosts Spain, Samoa and Chile and will need to be among the top four sides from the playoff to make an immediate return to the World Series following their relegation last May.

"We are delighted to be in camp here in Miramas, as opposed to going back home and then returning later for the pkayoffs," said Shujaa co-captain Tony Omondi.

"This setup allows us to stay focused and train in conditions akin to those we will face in the competitions."

Meanwhile, the Kenya Lionesses are determined and hungry for their third consecutive appearance at the Olympics but face a tough task of qualifying via the repechage after narrowly missing the sole African ticket to the Lady Boks of South Africa.

The team will train in Miramas for two weeks before coming back to Nairobi for a week and flying back to Miramas to train for one more week before heading to Monaco for the June 21-23 repechage where Argentina, Papua New Guinea and Samoa await in Pool A.

During their training period in Miramas, both teams will engage in test matches with various French rugby teams.

These matches are designed to maintain their competitive momentum and acclimatised conditions like those of the upcoming competitions.

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