T. NashipaeGeorge Ooro buzzing after punching Paris Olympics ticket with Shujaa
Reading Time: 3min | Wed. 20.09.23. | 14:15
Shujaa beat South Africa to book a ticket to Paris Olympics
Kenya 7s star George 'Japolo' Ooro is still enveloped in excitement days after the team won the Africa Men's 7s title and qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Ooro was key in Shujaa's heartwarming performance over the weekend.
Kevin Wambua's charges defied the energy-snapping temperatures in Harare, Zimbabwe to emerge 17-12 winners over South Africa in the final played on Sunday, 17 September. They did not taste a loss in the South African country.
The determined Shujaa kicked off their title hunt on Saturday 16 with a resounding 34-10 victory over Nigeria thrashing Namibia 51-0 in the second pool match.
Shujaa ended the day with a 38-12 victory over Zambia.
Their fine form kept going, and on Sunday 17, they handed Burkina Faso a 26-0 blow at the quarterfinals before defeating Zimbabwe 35-10 in the semis.
The Kenyan boys whipped South Africa 17-12 in the finals to be crowned the African champions.
Reflecting on the triumphant series of events, Ooro said that he was still nostalgic.
Shujaa landed in the country on Monday 18, and were received with pomp, color, and celebration.
Family, fans, and well-wishers all thronged the airport to welcome the heroes home.
As if that was not enough, the following morning, the team received an invitation to breakfast with President William Ruto, and over that meal, their hard work was acknowledged with a generous three million shillings gift. That gesture left Ooro on cloud nine.
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The Strathmore Leos' player says that, teamwork won them the coveted title. The team had six new faces and six vintage players who seamlessly gelled and showcased exemplary performance.
"Over our stay in Zimbabwe, I learnt various lessons, key being determination, teamwork, and trusting the system," Japolo told Mozzart Sport.
The 23-year-old debuted for Kenya Shujaa during Hong Kong 7s under former coach Damian Mc Grath.
His impressive performance and experience at the international stage saw coach Wambua include him in his Africa Men's 7s provincial squad, and eventually travelling squad. Ooro's confidence also stemmed from his staunch believe in God.
"It has motivated me and I have realized that my talent can take me far. I have qualified for the Olympics, which is the highest rugby level a player wants to reach. I wake up every day at 5am and pray to God to protect me from injuries," Ooro offered.
Going forward, the Chianda Boys' alumni aims at sharpening his skills in readiness for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
This being his maiden Olympics appearance the self-proclaimed king will be looking to wow, as well as take snaps in front of the Eiffel Tower.
He has set his gaze at leaving a positive mark for the upcoming rugby generation.
"I have never been to any Olympics before, so my focus was to go and enjoy, have that exposure, do what took me there; to compete for the gold medal. I want to be a good role model to the younger players, and return my team to where I found it; the HSBC series," he said.
Since making his national team debut, Japolo has brought a wealth of international experience to Strathmore Leos that propelled them to higher levels.
The Leos finished the 2023 National 7s Circuit at a respectful third position with 95 points.
Shujaa are rebuilding a strong team after being relegated from the HSBC World Rugby 7s Series.
Kenya joined other countries like France, New Zealand, Argentina, Fiji, Australia, Uruguay, and Ireland who have already qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Three more countries are yet to sail through.
