Nairobi — Ahead of this weekend's Africa Paris 2024 Olympic qualifier in Harare, Zimbabwe, the National Sevens team received a Ksh1.5 million boost from the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K).

The sponsorship is part of NOC-K strategy to support teams on their Paris 2024 Olympic Games pathway.

Shujaa becomes the third team sport to receive this kind of support after the women's hockey team and the Malkia strikers who recently got crowned African champions.

Shujaa, who are scheduled to leave the country on Thursday, 14th of September 2023 for Harare, have had a two-week training camp in Nakuru county after which they moved to Nairobi.

Speaking during cheque handing over, NOC-K Secretary General Francis Mutuku touched on the criteria used to arrive at the team to support.

"We have sat down as a board and evaluated and seen that our men's rugby team is one of the team sports with high prospects of making it to Paris. As they begin their campaign this weekend, we want to affirm our support to them through this qualification period," Mutuku said.

Co-captain Vincent Onyala expressed confidence in the team's ability to make it to the games.

"We have had very good training sessions and the boys are in a good mood and high spirits therefore I believe we will be in Paris come next year," Said Onyala

Kenya Rugby Union Chairman Sasha Mutai thanked NOC-K for the boost to the team as they look to get a ticket to their third Olympic Games since rugby 7s was introduced at the games.

"We are in a transition period and we are therefore taking and welcoming all the support we can get. I want to thank NOC-K for continued support especially during this time when we are on a hunt for the Paris 2024 ticket."