‘Quarantined’ Lionesses staying fit, motivated in Tokyo
Kenya Lionesses star Janet Okello (left) works out at the Fukuoka Prefecture Kurume Sports Centre on July 17, 2021.
What you need to know:
- “Caged” in their rooms in the Japanese capital, the “Lionesses” are having to pace up and down to stay fit, relying on a menu served by their strength and conditioning coach Samuel Kimotho.
- Head coach Felix Oloo on Saturday said it wouldn’t make sense for the six to travel to Kurume City as the pre-season camp was already winding up.
In Kurume
The six national women’s sevens rugby players currently held in precautionary confinement in Tokyo will not travel to join their teammates in Team Kenya’s pre-season training camp in Kurume City, after all.
“Caged” in their rooms in the Japanese capital, the “Lionesses” are having to pace up and down to stay fit, relying on a menu served by their strength and conditioning coach Samuel Kimotho.
Christabel Lindo evades a tackle from Janet Okello during a training session at the Fukuoka Prefecture Kurume Sports Centre on July 17, 2021.
Head coach Felix Oloo on Saturday said it wouldn’t make sense for the six to travel to Kurume City as the pre-season camp was already winding up.
Oloo spoke as the seven players at the Kurume camp held an afternoon field session at the Fukuoka Prefecture Kurume Sports Centre, mainly focusing on kicking and passing.
The six players who travelled from Nairobi as the second “Lionesses” batch were held back in Tokyo due to Covid-19 procedures and were initially expected to link up with the rest of the “Lionesses” squad in Kurume by this weekend.
Along with team manager Camilyne Oyuayo and strength and conditioning coach Samuel Kimotho, they were detained after one of the passengers on their flight to Tokyo from Doha tested positive for Covid-19.
None of the Kenyan players and officials in Tokyo have returned positive results after being tested multiple times.
As standard procedure agreed upon by the Government of Japan and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), “following a positive result, potential close contacts are assessed and reviewed by the REAG (Results Advisory Expert Group) and will be confirmed as a close contact by the Japanese health authorities.”
Christabel Lindo tries to go round Janet Okello during a training session at the Fukuoka Prefecture Kurume Sports Centre on July 17, 2021.
The Kenyan players in Tokyo are Sheila Chanjira, Diana Awino, Vivian Akumu, Leah Wambui, Judith Auma and Stella Nelima.
The rest of the team currently in Kurume with Oloo are Philadelphia Olando (captain), Cynthia Camilla, Christabel Lindo, Grace Adhiambo, Sinaida Aura, Janet Okello and Sarah Bridgid Oluche.
The team’s management has been holding daily Zoom sessions with the players in Tokyo to keep them motivated and focused.
Mental strength will be the game changer for the girls.
“The biggest part is the mental part… We have to be strong for them this side (Kurume). It’s quite a tricky balance especially having a very young squad,” the coach said.
“But we have to do what needs to be done.”
Malkia Strikers right attacker Emmaculate Chemtai hands over a Kenyan artifact to a young fan at the Kurume Indoor Gymnasium on July 17, 2021. The Ushanga initiative focuses on empowering women from the indigenous communities.
Coach Oloo said they keep engaging the players in Tokyo via daily Zoom sessions to keep them aligned, motivated and focused.
“We keep engaging them as much as possible and we have Zoom meetings in the evenings… The girls here tell them how the sessions were this side and they also tell us what they have been doing the other side.
“As much as they are struggling mentally, they are adapting to the situation.
“This is not the time for negativity. Even if you see anything negative you sweep it under the carpet. It’s positivity all the way,” the coach added.
“When they know the country is praying for them, they get encouraged.”
Cynthia Camilla of Homeboyz said they will remain focused despite the challenges facing the team.
“We are still polishing our moves and I’m sure by D-day we shall be fine,” she said after yesterday’s evening session.
“We hold Zoom meetings with the players in Tokyo and get to discuss how the day went. We are also encouraging them to do their workouts even if they are not allowed to get out of their rooms.
“The strength and conditioning coach is sending programmes for exercises they are doing inside their rooms and so I’m sure by the time they are released, they will be at par, because we have been training back at home and now it’s just the finishing touches.
Sports, Culture and Heritage Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed directed that Team Kenya’s squad to the Olympic and Paralympic Games travels in small groups to avowing a mass quarantine should a squad member be affected by Covid-19.
Kenyan sprinter Hellen Syombua (right) works out with Teak Kenya’s lead physiotherapist Nassib Twaha at the Fukuoka Prefecture Kurume Sports Centre on July 17, 2021.
All players and officials travelling to the Olympic and Paralympic Games also received their two doses of Covid-19 prevention vaccines ahead of travel to Tokyo.”
The “Lionesses” have been drawn in Pool ‘A’ alongside New Zealand, Great Britain and Russia.
They play their opening match against New Zealand on July 29.
