Why Kenya will have a lean team in Paris Olympics

Kenya's Gaudencia Makokha in action against Rwanda during the CAVB Zone V beach volleyball qualifiers in Mombasa. [KVF Media]

Kenya’s chance of having a bigger squad at the 2024 Olympics in Paris next month suffered a huge blow over the weekend when national women's rugby Sevens team, Kenya Lionesses, were skinned by China in a repechage tournament in Monaco, France.

The Lionesses put up a brave fight at the tournament in France with the hope of returning there next month, but their effort was not good enough as they fell 24-7 in the final on Sunday.

As if that was not painful enough for Kenya, another team that was hoping to make a return to the Olympics suffered the same fate.

The women's beach volleyball team made history three years ago when they played at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but their bid to make it back to the global games was shattered at the weekend in Morocco.

The pair of Gaudencia Makokha and Brackcides Agala were the history makers in Tokyo and in their mission to win a ticket to Paris, Makhoha teamed up with Naomi Too, but lost to Moroccan pair of Darrhar and Yakki in the quarter-finals of the FIVB Beach Volleyball Continental Cup in Martil, Morocco.

They were defeated in straight sets of 2-0 (21-10, 21-13), ending their hopes of getting a slot in Team Kenya to Paris.

It was same old story for Kenyan men as the pair of Brian Melly and Edward Kibet finished last in their group at the same tournament.

So with the elimination of Lionesses and the beach volleyball team, where does that leave Team Kenya ahead of the Paris Olympics?

It is back to the drawing board as far as team sports are concerned with Kenya men's rugby Sevens team, Shujaa, and women volleyball team Malkia Strikers the only teams that will be on the plane to Paris.

The boxing team, better known as the Hit Squad, ended up been the ‘beaten squad’ after Kenya failed to have a single boxer qualifying for the Olympics, despite having spent hours of travel and using finances across the world participating in qualifying tournaments with no results to show for it.

Apart from the boxers who were in Tokyo and will be missing in Paris, there will be no taekwondo athlete also.

In swimming, which has been a promising sport for the country in recent years, two athletes were booked tickets to Paris via wild card showing how low the sport has sunk.

There is one positive though for Team Kenya as they head to Paris in the shape of Alexandra Ndolo.

Ndolo will be making history in Paris as she becomes the first fencing athlete to compete for Kenya at the Olympics.

So as Team Kenya prepares to head to Paris, Kenya are once again looking up to the Track and Field team to make them proud.

It might not be that straight forward though, considering the squad might be leaner than expected.

Some athletes were named in Team Kenya but they are yet to hit the Olympics qualifying standards.