The much-anticipated Safari Sevens Under-16 tournament kicked off today at the Ngong Racecourse, bringing together regional select sides and international guests in form of Uganda and international schools.
The competition, which features both boys’ and girls’ categories, will play a key role in selecting Team Kenya for the upcoming Youth Olympic Games set for December in Angola.
The boys’ matches were tightly contested, with several regions displaying impressive skill and determination. Nyanza and Eastern battled to a 12–12 draw in one of the day’s openers, while Uganda’s visiting side showed their class with a 12–7 win over Western and a 31–7 victory against Coast.
Nairobi were in strong form, edging Eastern 19–12 before beating Nyanza 17–5. Rift Valley also made their presence felt, recording a 12–5 win over Central and another 19–7 triumph against International School. Western ended their day on a high, beating Coast 36–0.
In the girls’ division, Western set the pace with a convincing 22–7 win over Rift Valley. Nyanza followed with a 24–12 victory against International School, while Central outclassed Uganda 24–7 in a thrilling encounter. Eastern claimed a 21–12 win over Nyanza, while Rift Valley edged Nairobi 12–5.
The remaining fixtures will see Western take on Nairobi, Coast face Central, and International School battle Eastern as the tournament enters its decisive stages.
The U16 Safari Sevens is more than just a developmental competition, it also serves as the official selection ground for the Kenyan boys’ and girls’ teams that will represent the country at the Youth Olympic Games in Angola this December.
BOYS
Nyanza 12 – 12 Eastern
International School – Central
Western 7 – 12Uganda
Nairobi 19 – 12 Eastern
Rift Valley 12 – 5 Central
Coast 7 – 31 Uganda
Nyanza 5- 17 Nairobi
International School 7- 19 Rift Valley
Western 36-05 Coast
GIRLS
Western 22- 7 Rift Valley
International School 12- 24 Nyanza
Nairobi 5 – 12 Rift Valley
Central 24 – 7 Uganda
Eastern 21 – 12 Nyanza
Western – Nairobi
Coast – Central
International School 07 – 33 Eastern
English