Kenya Sevens ace Oliech to miss Olympic Games

 

Kenya Sevens ace Samuel “Sammy” Oliech will miss the Tokyo Olympic Games due to injury.

There were hopes that he would recover before the final warm-up tournament in Los Angeles in June, but the Impala Saracens fullback confirmed to Nation Sport that doctors have told him the earliest he can return to play is in October.

Olympics take place from July 23 to August 8 this year, meaning he cannot be part of coach Innocent “Namcos” Simiyu’s plans.

“I suffered an Achilles injury while in Dubai for the Emirates Invitational 7s. I had surgery in Dubai and I’m recovering,” the 32-year-old said.

Oliech, who made his international debut for Kenya Simbas in May 2015 against Portugal and Kenya Sevens during the Las Vegas Sevens in 2016, picked the injury in a training session ahead of the first Dubai event held on April 2-3.

Simiyu confirmed that Oliech will be out of action for six to nine months.

“Sammy Oliech is the only major injury we have in the Shujaa team. He tore his Achilles tendon. He was operated on in Dubai and will be back next year,” said the former Kenya Sevens captain.

Meanwhile, Simiyu said Shujaa resume training today for an upcoming tournament in South Africa.

“All the players and officials of the team have been vaccinated for coronavirus. We will enter camp at Kasarani on Tuesday (today) in readiness for a tournament in South Africa on May 8-9,” said the tactician.

Shujaa has already featured in four pre-Olympic tournaments held in Spain on February 20-21 and February 27-28 and in Dubai on April 2-3 and April 8-9.

The Africa Men's Sevens champions finished the Madrid tour in second place behind Argentina in both tournaments, third in the first tournament in Dubai and fifth in the last tournament in Dubai.   BY DAILY NATION