Amonde on why Kenya Sevens struggle at the Olympics

RUGBY Amonde on why Kenya Sevens struggle at the Olympics

Mark Kinyanjui 06:04 - 05.07.2023

The former Shujaa captain has explained why they struggled and might continue to struggle at the Olympics.

Former Kenya Sevens captain Andrew Amonde has explained why Shujaa has struggled to perform well on the Olympic stage.

Shujaa took part in the 2016 Olympics in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, and the postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympics in Japan, but flattered to deceive, finishing bottom of their group on both occasions.

Amonde has come clean on why the team struggled to do well on both occasions and why it may be difficult to make amends in 2024.

“The 2021 Olympics is a tournament we should have won because most of the teams went through what we went through owing to the Covid pandemic,” Amonde said.

“We did our part, we did our training, but we are unfortunately a last minute thing. The Olympics should be a four-year thing, but within four years, we had made way too many changes to the team.

“We kept changing our coaches, players, and systems. There was a lot of inconsistency at Kenya 7s and it affected us. We were not able to perform how we wanted.”

The current KCB Sevens coach has also blamed the tendency of the team making impetuous changes to the setup as a reason for dismal performances at the highest level and believes future teams should be allowed to settle down.

“We have a new squad who are focusing on doing something at the next Olympics. This is the right time to be focusing on that.

“Teams that go far at the Olympics tend to do well because they play together for four years from when they are first named. 

“From the last edition in Tokyo (to the next one in Paris), they know who is coming into the system, who will be part of the team for four years and they keep on using the same players who can actually help them win the gold medal.”

The 39-year-old believes that focusing on the tournament preparations just a year before the Olympics is not sufficient time enough to win the tourney.

“Focusing on just one year until we get to the Olympics is not good enough. It is not good enough for us to just compete.

“We have gotten to a level where people expect us to actually do well. For us to do that, we have to plan earlier. Give our players the level needed to play, Give them facilities like gyms where they need to work on. If I take you to the gym we used to go to the Olympics at KRU, (you would be shocked)

“Little things like that that we keep ignoring are what build Olympians. We cannot be going to the Olympics without training balls here.

“How can you expect us to go out and win the Olympics? Most of the things are done at ground level and if you do not give them that but expect the players to perform, it will never happen.”

Shujaa will be taking part in the Rugby Africa Sevens Cup in Zimbabwe to qualify for the Olympics but will have their work cut out, with South Africa also seeking to qualify for the tournament through the same tournament.

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