CHAN 2024: Austin Odhiambo Shares Emotional Ritual That Fuels His Harambee Stars Performances

Austin Odhiambo has been one of the most impressive Harambee Stars players at the ongoing African Nations Championship (CHAN 2024).

He contributed immensely to Harambee Stars rounding up their group stage campaign with 10 points, ahead of Morocco, who had nine.

DR Congo finished their group stage campaign in third with six points and could therefore not proceed to the final, with Angola coming in fourth with four points. Zambia received zero points after losing all four of their matches.

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Austin Odhiambo made a mark in Harambee Stars' opener against DR Congo, scoring just before halftime. As Harambee Stars held Angola to a 1-1 draw, it was Austin Odhiambo’s penalty that saved the day.

He has since opened up about the one thing that keeps him going, and he religiously does to overcome nervousness when playing.

The Gor Mahia star pointed out that his parents, Evaline Otieno and Barrack Otieno, have been his greatest motivation since he started his footballing career, and he always walks with them every day, not physically but in his heart.

“I usually carry around a paper where I have written my mum’s and dad’s names, and every time I panic, I just read their names and I feel motivated,” Austin Odhiambo told Pulse Sports.

“This is because I do this for them, and having that small piece of paper has helped me a lot.”

As Harambee Stars gear up for their CHAN 2024 quarter-final match against Madagascar on Friday, August 22, Austin Odhiambo is hopeful that his ritual will work wonders and help the team advance to the semifinals and, hopefully, the final.

Coming in as debutants and pooled into one of the toughest groups, many believed that Harambee Stars would not make it past the group stages; however, with players like Austin Odhiambo, they have defied all odds to make a mark.