Kenya Sevens speedster Patrick Odongo explains 3 little-known facts about him

Patrick Odongo is best known for his electric pace and explosive performances in the Kenya Sevens jersey. But beyond the tries and tackles lies a lean and composed man with a calm and reflective demeanour.

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His off-field personality is a stark contrast to the fierce competitor he becomes once he crosses the white line to enter the pitch.

Mozzart Sport reveals some lesser-known facts about Odongo, who is currently in India for the groundbreaking Rugby Premier League (RPL).

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1. Why he wears jersey 11

Odongo chose 11 because it is inspired by one of the best speedsters in the history of Kenyan Rugby, Collins Injera.

Injera remains one of the fastest wingers in the history of the sport in Kenya, and Odongo aspires to follow in his footsteps.

Odongo’s obvious asset is speed. He reportedly ran 9.99s for the 100m at the Kenyan national trials.

While it is not known what tailwind he had that day (a tailwind must be less than 2.0 metres per second for a time to be classed as ‘wind legal’ by World Athletics), if it is legal, it would make him the fastest man to play the game at an elite level.

For reference, Carlin Isles – regarded as rugby’s fastest man when he played for the USA between 2012 and 2022 – ran a wind-legal time of 10.15s for the 100m in 2016, and a wind-assisted time of 10.13s in 2012.

2. His best moment on the pitch

The youngster’s best moment on the pitch came during the Paris Olympics qualifiers in 2023 in Zimbabwe.

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Shujaa posted an outstanding performance, but the highlight of the tournament came when they thrashed South Africa 17-12 in a physically brutal final to emerge champions and book a direct Olympic slot. Odongo scored two tries in the final.

What made his performance even more heartwarming was that he had lost his mother, Sophia Atieno Ogak, just before the tournament. Despite that, he braved the odds and travelled with the squad.

The rugby fraternity dedicated the triumphant victory to Atieno, whose big dream was to see her son represent the country at the international level.

3. Origin of his nickname

Odongo is commonly referred to as ‘Odoshe’ within rugby circles. During training, it is common to hear his teammates call him by that name.

It originates from his name, Odongo.

Odongo is currently in India for the Rugby Premier League.

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The RPL is the world’s first franchise-based rugby sevens competition, which will kick off from Sunday, 1 to Sunday, 15 June at the Mumbai Football Arena in India.

The 22-year-old Daystar Falcons speedster will now rub shoulders with some of the biggest names in the sport.

His selection comes as part of the elite pool of 30 marquee international players for the tournament, which is being billed as a seismic shift in how sevens rugby is played and commercialised.

World Rugby supports it, and it will take place in a specially sanctioned window on the global calendar.

Odongo joins a star-studded Redz lineup that includes some of the sport’s most decorated stars.