The popular Kenyan wristband continues to make waves globally after tennis legend Serena Williams’ daughter was spotted wearing one recently. While in Paris, France, for the 2024 Olympics, Williams and her husband, Alexis Ohanian, shared heartwarming moments with their 7-year-old daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian, who was thrilled to be at the prestigious event.
In one of the shared videos, an observant fan noticed a familiar accessory on young Ohanian’s wrist—the well-known Kenyan flag wristband. Taking to X, the fan asked Ohanian if her observation was correct. South Africa-based Kenyan Winnie Njuguna inquired, “Where did she get this wristband? Looks like beadwork of the Kenyan flag…”
Ohanian quickly replied, confirming Njuguna’s observation and revealing that his daughter received the bracelet as a gift from Kenyan players she was “very excited” to meet. “From some Kenyan players! She was so excited to meet them and ask for their pin (and they gave her an even better upgrade with that bracelet!)” he said.
The wristband’s popularity was further highlighted by film producer Faith Koli, who shared her own experience with the accessory, noting that kids outside of Kenya are often enamored with it, especially when Kenya excels in athletic competitions.
“Kids away from home are really fascinated by these Kenyan bracelets. The athletics team kids in a former school we were in would come looking for my kid to ask if she could get them the bracelet especially if a Kenyan won a marathon race. We have handed out dozens of them!” she wrote under Ohanian’s tweet.
The Kenyan bracelet has evolved into a global phenomenon, with numerous top athletes and celebrities donning it during various missions, garnering widespread admiration. At the 2020 Tokyo Games, US Olympian Sarah Sponcil received the bracelet as a gift from her Kenyan counterparts.
This gift was so cherished that when the US-based Christian charitable organization World Concern announced a long-term partnership with Sponcil for humanitarian work to combat poverty worldwide, she chose Kenya as her first destination.
The Kenyan bracelet has also played a crucial role in saving lives. During a previous visit to the Mandela House in Soweto, South Africa, renowned Kenyan journalist Sharon Barang’a found herself lost in a slum amid heightened xenophobic tensions in the country.
“I was scared of speaking out because there was some xenophobic tension, so I was thinking if I speak out, they can tell I am not South African. Because of that bracelet, another Kenyan lady spotted me, called me over, and helped me find my way back to my hotel,” Sharon recounted.
