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How toe fracture derailed Dennis Nyongesa’s national team dreams
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Reading Time: 4min | Tue. 20.01.26. | 11:17
Nyongesa opens up on his battle with injurie and why he is far from giving up on his dreams
Dennis Nyongesa’s return to rugby during the 2025 National 7s Circuit had all the ingredients of a breakthrough year.
Before his return, Nyongesa had hung up his boots a year ago and was nowhere near the pitch as his team lifted the 2024 National 7s Circuit title under coach Paul Murunga.
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Instead, he was on the sidelines, not due to injury or selection, but because he had made the personal decision to walk away from the sport.
During that period off, he shifted gears. He began sprint training to maintain his fitness and found a new purpose coaching rugby at Braeburn School.
What started as a way to stay connected to the game turned into something more.
That fire led him back to the pitch, and his impact was immediate.
He was electric in Mombasa, scoring six tries to finish as Quins’ top scorer and announcing himself once again as one of the most dangerous speedsters on the local 7s circuit.
For Nyongesa, it felt like everything was finally falling into place.
“I started the season well. I knew what I wanted last season, and it felt different from the other seasons because I had come all in. I wanted to get to the highest point in my career, the national team, and playing at the highest level on the global stage,” he told Mozzart Sport.
But just as momentum was building, misfortune struck.
During the Driftwood 7s, Nyongesa suffered a toe fracture, an injury that would quietly but decisively derail his season.
What initially seemed like a setback he could manage soon turned into a long spell on the sidelines, ruling him out for almost the entire National 7s Circuit.
“Unfortunately, setbacks happen. I got a fracture in my toe and could not be part of the team for almost the entire season. I came in later, but it was too late, so it was hard for me to overcome that,” he reflected.
Despite being out injured, Nyongesa’s early-season brilliance did not go unnoticed.
He earned a national team call-up following the circuit, a moment that should have marked the fulfilment of a long-held dream.
However, reality intervened once more.
At the time of the call-up, he was still undergoing rehabilitation. His recovery required extended rest, followed by a slow and cautious return to activity.
That process ultimately worked against him.
“Recovery was mostly rest because there was nothing I could do. After that, I took two months off and then started rehab slowly. Luckily, I was called up to the national team, but I still could not do much because I was still doing rehab, so I was dropped. I still needed time to recover,” he painfully recalled.
As a result, Nyongesa missed out on selection for Safari 7s, watching another opportunity slip away as his body struggled to catch up with his ambition.
“It took a toll on me. But I will have to gather myself and look forward to next season,” he admitted.
Now fully recovered, Nyongesa is once again setting his sights ahead, determined to give his dream another push.
“This year, I am ready to go again and see how it goes,” he said.
Part of his confidence comes from the unique balance he has struck between rugby and athletics. For the Quins’ winger, that combination has shaped his explosive playing style.
“It is quite a challenge, but the good thing is I only do rugby 7s. The 7s season is different from the athletics calendar. During the 15s season, I get to do athletics, and when 7s begins, the athletics season is always done, so I transition,” he offered.
While the physical demands differ, Nyongesa believes his speed gives him an edge.
“The transition is different in terms of contact, but the speed side works for me. For 7s, you need speed. Transitioning from the track to the pitch, all I have to do is get more contact, a bit of start-stop, and a change of direction, which is the easiest thing to do when you have speed,” he added.
While he has yet to fully outline his track and field ambitions, Nyongesa, who trains alongside Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, remains optimistic about competing in several local and international races this year.
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