Meet Chloé Olenga, a promising rugby player born in Congo who is heading to the UK to combine her academic ambitions with her passion for the sport.
From discovering rugby in South Africa to leading teams at the provincial level, Chloé Olenga’s journey has already seen her achieve impressive milestones — and her next chapter begins in the UK, where she’ll continue her development both on the field and in the classroom.
Chloé was first introduced to rugby during her time at Greenside High School in Johannesburg. Encouraged to join the team in Grade 9 to help boost numbers, she quickly developed a passion for the sport. After just a month of training, she was selected to compete in the Soncini Games, where her team went on to win first place.
The Congolese native was then selected to represent the Golden Lions provincial team for three consecutive years, earning MVP honours in both her school league and the Mayoral Cup tournament, as well as being named her school’s Best U16 Rugby Player. In her final year, she received Golden Braiding for international selection and was honoured as Sportswoman of the Year.
Originally considering the United States as a study destination, Chloe shifted her focus to the UK after recognising its strong reputation for women’s rugby, she now prepares to begin an International Business degree at a university committed to offering excellent academic opportunities alongside a thriving sporting environment.
Get to Know Chloé
Attended Greenside High School in South Africa.
Received Gold Braiding and named Sports Woman of the Year (Grade 12)
Represented the Golden Lions provincial team for three consecutive years.
Will be working towards a Bachelor’s Degree in International Business.
Could you summarise your sporting experience to date?
“I was first introduced to rugby towards the final term of my grade 9 year after my friend and my netball coach asked me to join the rugby team, to increase the number of girls on the team. At first, I played rugby as if it was just like any other sport I’d played. However, the more I played the sport the more I began to love it, despite the amount of running and physicality it included. After joining the rugby team, I felt like I could not perform to the best of my ability due to how thinly spread my schedule was because of the number of sports I played at the time. That was when I decide to quit the basketball team and focus on rugby because the practice days of both sports clashed; whereas netball and rugby didn’t clash so I continued playing both sports. Focusing mostly on rugby.
After a month of rugby practice, I was then selected to participate in the Soncini games (regional) where my team won 1st place. I was then selected to play for Golden Lions (provincial) for three years: earning captaincy in grade 10 for under 16 and vice-captain in grade 11 for under 18. I was then awarded an MVP award for my school league and a Mayoral Cup tournament in grade 10. I also received the title of the best under 16 rugby player, during my school sports awards. In grade 12 I received golden braiding from my school for international selection, and sports woman of the year during my valediction ceremony.”
Why did you ultimately select the UK as your preferred study destination, and were you considering any other countries?
“At first, I intended on studying in the United States, because my sister is studying university there. However, once I started to look for schools that offered female rugby I found out that female rugby was still a growing sport in the US. My sister then recommended me to a coach who was looking for rugby players and coaches flag football and suggested I could always try playing flag football instead.
That’s when I decided to not only focus my search to the US but also try looking for a university in the UK, due to female rugby being a thriving sport in the UK. It was then that I fell upon The Student Sport Company and decided to register on a whim.”
What began as a casual introduction to rugby soon evolved into a deep passion for the sport. Despite the physical demands and rigorous running, Chloé committed herself fully, going on to lead at provincial level and earn multiple individual honours — proof of her rapid rise and dedication on the field.
What are your sporting goals for your time in the UK?
“During my time in the UK, I hope to develop my rugby skills and knowledge, focusing on developing my tackles passes. I am excited to gain competitive experience through tournaments and matches, while working with experienced coaches to improve my understanding of rugby and overall game.”
What are you most excited about as you get ready to study and compete in the UK?
“During my first year in the UK, I plan on integrating myself into the UK’s academic environment and exploring the country’s culture. I’m excited to meet new people, make friends and build connections with fellow students. I’m also looking forward to developing my skills and qualities such as independence and adaptability.”
Alongside her sporting achievements, Chloé has set clear academic and career goals. Now preparing to study International Business in the UK, she chose this path for the combination of a thriving women’s rugby culture and strong academic opportunities. Her ambition is to become a global business consultant, using her education to help companies succeed internationally.
Why do you think the UK is a good place to help you achieve these goals?
“I believe that the UK is an excellent place to achieve my goals due to its competitive environment, experienced coaches and wonderful facilities. I’m also interested in the UK’s investment in sport facilities and the opportunity to learn from experienced coaches and staff.
Due to the UK’s diverse culture and welcoming nature, I believe it will give me the opportunity to network with people of various backgrounds and skills.”
How would you describe the support you received from The Student Sport Company during this process?
“I had a wonderful experience working with The Student Sport Company during my UK university placement.
They helped me navigate my way through the UK’s academic system, alleviating a lot of my worries like where I should start applying for university, helping me fill out my UCAS application, and helping me write a wonderful personal statement for my UCAS application by giving me tips and feedback on how to improve my personal statement.
The Student Sport Company was a stepping-stone for me throughout my university placement process. They were able to give me directions throughout my application and were able to respond to any difficulties I had experienced in a swift manner. They were friendly and easy to communicate with in a timely manner. I’d say I had an exceptional experience working with The Student Sport Company.”
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