Kenya claimed gold in the women’s sevens competition at the Youth Summer Olympics in dramatic fashion, with Mitchelle Chemtai scoring the golden point in extra time to upset tournament favourites Australia in the final at Complexe Iba Mar Diop in Senegal.
The Aussies collected silver with Madagascar winning bronze, the first time the African nation has won an Olympic medal at any level.
The silver medallists had been the top seeds to win their first gold since 2014 in the women’s tournament but the Rising Lionesses showed heart, grit and determination in the final to come out with the gold.
The players jumped on each other in celebration as Chemtai laid in the in-goal area with her hands on her face in disbelief when the gold was secured.
Final: Chemtai’s extra-time winner seals gold in dramatic final
Kenya did not start the final as they would have wanted, as Darci Mackay scored early with an electric run down the left.
But Kenya kept knocking on the door and Zain Hido scored with a sniped attack through the breakdown to take the sides in at the break level at 5-5.
As the second half began, both teams' defence held strong. Kenya looked like they were through but Layne Prince put in a try-saving tackle to keep Australia’s golden hopes alive.
Grace Buchanan put Australia back ahead - but Billie Backus received a yellow card to give Kenya a chance to get back into the game with the seconds ticking down, and they did exactly that. Josephine Kerubo darted over - but it was the conversion by Diana Wanjiku which took the final to a golden point, meaning whoever scores first wins the game.
Errors by Australia gave Kenya an attacking opportunity and they moved the ball left to right before Chemtai dotted down to seal Kenya’s first Youth Summer Olympics gold in the women’s tournament.
Several players on the squad first picked up a rugby ball just a year ago.
Australia and Madagascar top pools
The final round of the pool stage kicked off the second day of competition - and saw Australia and Madagascar top the pools after beating Kenya and Czechia respectively to both complete a clean-sweep of the round-robin phase which had kicked off 24 hours previously.
Those results set up semi-finals between Australia and Czechia, and Madagascar and Kenya.
Prince opened the scoring for Australia in the first semi-final, against Czechia. Her score was followed by a superb try by Mackay after a great bit of defence by Mia Shelley, who turned-over the ball just as Czechia was closing in on a promising attack.
Zuzana Svabova and Roza Bednarova hit back against the top seeds - but Australia led 14-10 at half-time. After weathering sustained early pressure from Czechia in the second half, Prince scored her second of the game to put Australia through to the gold medal match.
Kenya and Madagascar contested the second semi-final, with Evalyne Afande over for the first try of the knockout game. Kenya’s great start was blighted by an injury to Bridgit Lihanda, who had been a bright spark throughout the tournament. She was clapped as she was stretchered off of the pitch but she recovered for the gold medal final.
Michael Mmboga finished off a pacy effort to see Kenya 10-0 up at half-time. Madagascar got one back through Sariaka Raveloarisoa but Mmboga athletically finished to give Kenya a chance to play for the gold medal.
Bronze was settled as Madagascar defeated Czechia 26-10 with Soa Landy, Princia Ranaivoson and Raveloarisoa scoring to end up on the podium and sealed history for their country.
Before the medals were decided, places five to eight in the standings were cemented. China beat the USA to claim fifth with the Americans sixth, while Spain overcame Senegal to claim seventh with the hosts eighth.
The medal ceremony brought the curtain down on three thrilling days of rugby sevens action at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, with Kenya, Australia and Madagascar’s women's sides following the French, South African and Argentine men's teams in stepping up on to the medals podium.
