Golden try, golden girls: Kenya's Rising Lionesses stun Australia to win Youth Olympic rugby gold

They had already lost to Australia once that day — 17-5 in the pool. When the same opponents stood across from them in the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic final, Kenya's Rising Lionesses refused the script. Captain Zain Hido's try levelled it 5-5 at half-time; Australia pulled ahead 12-5; Josephine Kerubo crossed and Dian Wanjiku converted to force extra time at 12-12. Then came the golden try — Mitchelle Chentai's score sealing a 17-12 win and Kenya's first gold medal of the Games, at the first Youth Olympics ever held on African soil. On the way they beat China 12-5, hosts Senegal 19-0 and Madagascar 15-5 in the semi-final.