Witness 254, Moments in History; Shujaas in Singapore

 

​Moments in History; Shujaas in Singapore

Singapore, April 17th, 2016

It is Sunday, 17^th April. It is just past 5.00 pm in Singapore, 12.00 noon in Nairobi and 9.00 pm in Suva, Fiji. I'm in a restaurant with a number of friends, somewhere on Kiambu Road. We are glued to the screen. It is the second half of the IRB Sevens semi final. Kenya is playing Argentina. A minute in, Agustine Lugonzo makes a dash for the try line. He makes it across and Samuel Oliech converts it for the boys.

For us, this is a dream start. At the start of this half, Shujaa were trailing Los Pumas 0 – 7. With this try and with the conversion that followed, we just got even on the scoreboard. A minute later, a sturdy Alex Muller responds with a try of his own. Los Pumas miss the conversion. It’s now 12 – 7 and the tension is palpable.

We now have about a minute and four seconds to go. Frank ‘The Tank’ Wanyama makes a much needed try for Kenya. It is the ‘Webuye Express’ first try this weekend and we really needed this one. But we are not out of the woods yet. Collins Injera, the decorated speedster, goes for the conversion. He misses it and it’s tense.

With just under a minute to go, the score is now even between the East Africans and the South Americans. “They are missing Biko Adema, says the commentator. Adema is a renowned kicker. 

‘It is not the best of kicks from Injera,’ he adds. But just when all is but lost, we get a lifeline. With 28 seconds to go before the hooter, Andrew Amonde, the Captain, wins possession for Kenya.

It is crunch time and we know that the game can go either way. As opposed to going for the scrum, Injera instead opts for a kick, 40 meters out. This is so brave of him because just moments ago, taking the same kick from much closer to the post, we saw the ball drifting wide and off the mark. 

Without looking up, he takes the kick. The ball climbs and with it, the hope of a nation. There are moments when time almost comes to a standstill. This is certainly one of them. Up and up goes the ball. The stadium is quiet. So is our little corner at the restaurant. My heart beats fervently.

The ball climbs and soars and then some. It goes above the crossbar and right through the posts. It's 15 -12 and Kenya has it! ‘Collins Injeeeera,’ screams the commentator, ‘the Hero of the hour!’ The commentator then proceeds to say, ‘Collins Injera, take a bow!’ Then, as Benjamin Ayimba - the Kenyan coach - celebrates on the pitch, somewhat tongue in cheek, the commentator quips, ‘He, (Ayimba), is not as fleet footed as he used to be.’

The stadium comes alive. Kenya Corner goes nuts. This group, comprising Kenyans in the diaspora, have supported the players and carried the national flag across global Sevens circuits. They relish this moment, just as much as the players and what it took to get here. So do we all! It was raining and wet in Nairobi, in the morning. But man, it is beautiful afternoon. We are in the finals, baby!

(To be continued.)