Kenya have stunned Australia 17-12 in golden-point extra time to win historic women’s rugby sevens gold at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, becoming the first African nation to win rugby sevens gold at an Olympic or Youth Olympic Games.
Mitchelle Chemtai scored the winning try just 87 seconds into extra time at the Complexe Iba Mar Diop in Senegal’s capital, Dakar, after the final had finished 12-12 at full time. The victory completed a remarkable day of revenge for Kenya’s Rising Lionesses, who had lost 17-5 to the same opponents in their final pool match earlier on Tuesday.
How the final unfolded
Australia, the inaugural women’s rugby sevens Youth Olympic champions at Nanjing 2014, entered the final unbeaten and as clear favourites. Kenya captain Zain Hido levelled the scores at 5-5 by half-time, but Grace Buchanan restored Australia’s advantage with a converted try in the second half to make it 12-5.
Kenya refused to surrender. With the clock running down, Josephine Kerubo crossed for a late try and Diana Wanjiku landed the conversion to level the match at 12-12 and send it into golden-point extra time, where the next score would win. Chemtai then sealed one of the biggest upsets of the Games, touching down in the corner to make the final score 17-12.
Kenya’s road to gold
Kenya’s campaign had built steadily through the pool stage, with a 12-5 win over China and a 19-0 win over hosts Senegal, before the 17-5 pool defeat to Australia. The Rising Lionesses then beat Madagascar 15-5 in the semi-final to set up the gold-medal rematch.
The final was the closing match of a rugby sevens competition played from 1 to 3 November, featuring almost 200 players across eight men’s and eight women’s teams.
An African double on the podium
There was further history in the bronze-medal match, where Madagascar beat Czechia 26-10 to put two African nations on the women’s rugby sevens podium. In the men’s tournament, which concluded a day earlier, France beat South Africa 26-19 in the final to take gold, with Argentina winning bronze.
Why this gold matters
The result is a landmark for African rugby and for the women’s game in Kenya. A youth team beating the tournament favourites, after losing to them hours earlier, underlines the depth now coming through Kenya’s women’s rugby pathway — and it came at the first Olympic event held on African soil.
Related coverage: Australia’s Jillaroos also produced a record women’s rugby win this week, beating Wales 124-6 at the Women’s Rugby League World Cup — a different tournament and code, but another statement result for women’s rugby. Jillaroos beat Wales 124-6 in record Women’s Rugby League World Cup win.
Frequently asked questions
Who scored Kenya’s winning try? Mitchelle Chemtai, 87 seconds into golden-point extra time.
What was the final score? Kenya 17, Australia 12, after the match finished 12-12 at full time.
Why is the win historic? Kenya became the first African nation to win rugby sevens gold at an Olympic or Youth Olympic Games.
Sources
- Olympics.com — Dakar 2026: Kenya stun Australia in golden-point thriller to win historic women’s rugby sevens gold
- Olympics.com — Kenya shock Australia to win rugby sevens gold with late-game heroics
- Daily Nation — Kenya’s Rising Lionesses roar to historic Olympic gold
- The Eastleigh Voice — Kenya’s Rising Lionesses beat Australia, making history with rugby gold at Dakar Youth Olympics
