Grace Adhiambo Okulu (born 16 March 1998) is a Kenyan rugby union and sevens player. She competed for Kenya in the 2020 Summer Olympics.[1]
| Date of birth | 16 March 1998 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Height | 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Background
editOkulu discovered rugby while playing football in primary school.[2] In 2016, she made her debut for Kenya's sevens team at 17, just as the Kenya Sevens team made their debut at the Women's Sevens Series in France.[2]
Okulu was the only scorer against Fiji in their placing match at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.[2] She also played a crucial role in her team's qualification for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo as she was a dependable try-scorer during their qualifiers in Tunisia.[2]
In 2021, Okulu made her fifteens debut in the Lionesses 2021 Rugby World Cup qualifying match against Colombia in Nairobi.[3][4] She scored five points from a conversion, and a penalty in her side's loss.[5]
Okulu signed with the Japanese, Kitakyushu-based, club Nagato Blue Angels on a six-month contract in the beginning of 2023.[6][7] She was named in Kenya's fifteens squad on 3 October 2023 for the inaugural WXV 3 tournament that will be held in Dubai.[8][9]
References
edit- ^ "Grace Okulu". Olympics.com. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
- ^ a b c d Watta, Evelyn (2020-06-23). "Kenya rugby 7s star Grace Adhiambo Okulu: 'Rugby has given me a second chance in life, a name, and education'". olympics.com. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
- ^ Anene, Geoffrey (2021-08-16). "Eleven changes as Kenya Lionesses eye revenge against SA". Nation. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ "Kenya in positive mood ahead of Rugby World Cup 2021 qualifier". www.world.rugby. 2021-08-23. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ "Maria Arzuaga the hero as Colombia keep Rugby World Cup 2021 dream alive | Women in Rugby". www.women.rugby. 2021-08-25. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ Njuguna, William (2023-03-14). "Okello signs contract extension with Japanese club". The Star. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ Sabuni, Sabuni Khwa (2023-03-13). "Okello Extends Pearls Contract". dailysport.co.ke. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
- ^ "Kenya Lionesses Squad Announced for Rugby WXV3 in Dubai 2023". Kenya Rugby Union. 4 October 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
- ^ "WXV 3: Squads set for Dubai". www.world.rugby. 2023-10-03. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
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