Jean Pierre Cyiza has won a bronze medal in the boys’ lightweight category at the ongoing African Youth Games in Gaborone, Botswana (Photo: RNOSC)
Jean Pierre Cyiza clinched a bronze medal in the boys’ lightweight category (60kg) at the ongoing African Youth Games in Gaborone, Botswana.
The 17 year old Cyiza who lost to South Africa’s Fuzile Anzinga in the semi-finals on Tuesday night at Botho University to become the first Rwandan athlete to win a medal at the quadrennial youth continental games.
“I am so honoured to have won a bronze medal and I am glad I represented Rwanda well,” said the excited Cyiza.
Rwanda’s head coach Gashugi Kananura admitted that, “This is a good result for us as a country and we plan to build on this in the future. There is surely a lot we can do to build on this.”
Rwanda has been represented by 12 sports disciplines including athletics, basketball, cycling, fencing, golf, karate, lawn tennis, swimming, taekwondo, table tennis and volleyball.
This event is a qualification event for athletics, basketball 3-on-3 and swimming.
This is Rwanda’s first time to compete at these games and the first edition of the games were held in Rabat, Morocco.
Team Rwanda ready to go for the opening ceremony of the African Youth Games on Thursday evening (Photo credit: RNOSC)
A delegation of 68 represented Rwanda at the opening ceremony of the second edition of the African Youth Games in Gaborone, Botswana as the entire continent converged to celebrate and compete at the quadrennial continental youth games.
Team captain James Sugira was the flag bearer and led the way as the Rwandan athletes and officials marched around the stadium waving to fans and well wishers before finally taking their seats to witness a colourful opening ceremony that saw the Games officially opened.
Sugira said, “I am so honoured to be carrying the national flag of Rwanda and it gives me so much pleasure that I will be representing Rwanda at these Games.”
This is the first time that Rwanda is taking part in this event which is a qualifier for athletics, basketball and swimming to the upcoming Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China from August 16-28.
Pastor Charles Karekezi speaking to the participants attending the second session of the three-day conference on AIDS prevention (Photo: RNOSC)
A total of 22 participants are currently attending a three-day conference about AIDS prevention organized by the Rwanda National Olympic and Sports Committee (RNOSC) in partnership with Churches United Against HIV & AIDS in Eastern and Southern Africa (CUAHA) at Centre d’accuiel St Francois D’Assise in Kigali.
Under the theme ‘Together for AIDS prevention’, the conference is aimed at training sports leaders like administrators, coaches and captains and equipping them with knowledge about the preventive measures of HIV/AIDS.
“It is very important that we teach sportsmen and women about the prevention of HIV/AIDS. Athletes are usually stars in the community who have a lot of money at their exposure and because of this, it gets to their heads and makes them vulnerable. They can easily get involved in the misuse of alcohol, drugs and sex which is bad for them because this can lead to bacterial infections of the deadly virus,” explained Phophina Gashugi, the RNOSC first vice president.
Participants from boxing, fencing, kung-fu, paralympics, rugby, swimming and table tennis make up the list of federations represented at the second session of the CUAHA event.
One of the participants Yves Ndizeye, the technical director of the Rwanda Table Tennis Federation said, “This is very important because it relates sports and HIV/AIDS in particular, how it affects sportsmen. The program also teaches us about God’s word and the use of condoms as the main tools to use to fight against HIV/AIDS.”
The first training was held from April 15-17 with 10 sports federations and associations represented including archery, athletics, cricket, football, handball, karate, physical educators, taekwondo, triathlon and volleyball.
As we mark our 30th anniversary, we would like to welcome you to our new look website.
It is very exciting to have made it through three decades of promoting the Olympic Movement in Rwanda and we are looking forward to a successful future.
From our first participation at the 1984 in Los Angeles, California, United States of America to London 2012, we have attended all the eight adhd in children of the prestigious Summer Olympics.
We are yet to win an Olympic medal, however, we are working on it every day that passes.
Rwanda won a bronze medal at the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece after Jean de Dieu Nkundareba clocked 1:58.95 in the men’s 800m T46 category.
On July 24, 2013, Hermas Cliff Muvunyi became the first Rwanda to win a gold medal at the IPC World Championships in Lyon, France after clocking a personal best 1:54.06 in the men’s 800m T46 category.
It is on the basis of these achievements, therefore that we want to build for more success in the future.
Rwanda will send the highest percentage by ratio of female athletes as compared to their male counterparts at the second edition of the African Youth Games that will be buy azithromycin in Gaborone, the capital city of Botswana from May 22-31, 2014.
A total of 49 athletes, 29 female and 20 male will compete at the continental games in 12 sports disciplines including athletics, basketball (3 on 3), boxing, cycling, fencing, golf, karate, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo and volleyball.
Here is the quota indicating the female athletes in each sport; athletics (4), basketball-3on 3 (4), cycling (2), karate-kumite (2), swimming (1), table tennis (1), taekwondo (2), lawn tennis (1), volleyball (12).
The head of the women and sport commission at the Rwanda National Olympic and Sports Committee, Felicite Rwemalika said, “This is going to boost their moral and self confidence and change their young they will grow up and can make it, change of mindest. This is the time to show the strength of a woman.
In line with our vision ‘Generations of Champions’, it is this same foundation that will prepare the youth to compete at continental and global levels in preparation for the Rio Olympic Games in 2016.
Rwanda will participate in the second edition of the African Youth Games that will be held in Gaborone, the capital city of Botswana from May 22-31, 2014.
A total of 49 athletes, 30 female and 19 male will compete at the continental games in 12 sports disciplines including athletics, basketball (3 on 3), boxing, cycling, fencing, golf, karate, lawn tennis, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo and volleyball.
This is the first time that Rwanda will take part in the youth games which have set a platform for the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) that will be held in Nanjing, China.
The Gaborone event is a qualifying platform for athletics and swimming to YOG.
The head of delegation, second vice president Elie Manirarora said, “We need medals. This is also the way forward towards the Rio Olympics in 2016 and Tokyo in 2020. This is how we are going to raise ‘Generations of Champions’.”
In line with our vision ‘Generations of Champions’, it is this same foundation that will prepare the youth to compete at continental and global levels in preparation for the Rio Olympic Games in 2016.
Rwanda has qualified for both the men and women’s beach volleyball events at the upcoming Youth Olympic Games to be held from August 16-28 in Nanjing, China.
The girls’ side comprised of Seraphine Mukantambara and Lea Uwimbabazi has emerged African champions automatically qualifying for the second edition of the biggest youth sports event in the world.
The pair defeated Mauritius 2-1 (21-18, 21-13) and lost to Namibia 2-0 (23-21) in the group stages before seeing off the hosts Ghana 2-0 (21-9, 21-14) in the semi-final to qualify for the final. Rwanda defeated Namibia 2-0 to be crowned African champions.
In the boys’ category, Rwanda defeated Congo Brazaville 2-1 (21-10, 16-21, 15-12) before losing to Nigeria 2-1 (18-21, 21-16, 14-16) in the group stages. Rwanda saw off Namibia 2-0 (21-18, 21-9) before beating Sierra Leone 2-0 (21-12, 21-9).
Ranked fourth in Group B, Rwanda played against third placed Egypt from Group A and emerged winners after shocking the North Africans 2-1 to finish sixth on the African continent and also booked a place to Nanjing.
Head coach Paul Bitok said, “This is the only way to go. We came here to qualify but eventually the girls became champions. We have to keep participating in youth events and then we shall have a future for sports in Rwanda.”
This is the first time that Rwanda has qualified for the Youth Olympic Games, however, at the first edition of the quadrennial event in Singapore, Rwanda was represented by four athletes in athletics, boxing and swimming.
“This is a great moment for Rwanda and will lay a foundation for us as a country as we look forward to competing at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games,” explained Elie Manirarora, the chef de mission to the Nanjing event.
At this year’s event, Rwanda also has wildcards to participate in athletics, cycling and swimming and beach volleyball makes it four sporting disciplines.
Aaron Taylor Koonce believes visiting Gaborone ahead of the African Youth Games in May 22-31 will give him an advantage
Rwanda’s sole golf representative at the upcoming African Youth Games, Aaron Taylor Koonce has completed a three-day tour of Botswana ahead of the quedrennial event due May 22-31.
The 17 year old Koonce trained for a total of 20 hours at the Gaborone Golf Club during his stay in Gaborone, the host city of the African Youth Games.
The excited and anxious Koonce revealed that, “The course is flatter than the one in Kigali and the greens are faster and some of the holes are longer but it is very playable.”
Koonce who is a handicap 8 enjoyed the 18-hole course that he described as beautiful and positioned at a good location for the tournament and described the trees as being shorter.
He further added that, “If you happen to be in trouble from a bad shot, it is easier to recover. There is only a few water hazards which is less than the Kigali course so that shoudln’t be much of a problem.”
The Grade 11 student at Kigali International Community School reminisces that playing on the course before the tournament will give him a very big advantage ahead of the three-day (May 26-28) tournament because he knows the distances.
He also defined the bunkers as comprising of dense sand which means that, “I have to take a lower lofty club than I am used to, to get out of the bunkers but that shouldn’t be a problem. It is a minor adjustment.
Koonce is hopeful to finish with a medal for Rwanda but he knows that the competition from Zambia, South Africa and Zimbabwe will be tough as these are the strongest African nations in golf.
Golf is one of the 12 sporting disciplines that will represent Rwanda in Gaborone with the total number of athletes being 49 – 29 female and 20 male competing in athletics, basketball, boxing, cycling, fencing, karate, lawn tennis, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo and volleyball.
This is the first time that Rwanda will be competing at the continental youth event which will be a qualifying event for athletics, basketball and swimming to the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China.
Rwanda will compete at the 2nd Summer Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China
Over 3,600 young athletes aged 15 to 18 from over 200 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) will be in Nanjing, China, from August 16-28, 2014 to compete in the second edition of the Summer Youth Olympic Games (YOG).
This year’s event will feature 28 sports, including golf and rugby sevens, which will make their debut before their inclusion at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Also on the sports programme will be disciplines such as 3-on-3 basketball and 5-a-side hockey, as well as mixed gender and mixed NOC events.
Some new sports and disciplines not currently on the Olympic programme will also be showcased following an IOC Executive Board decision in December 2013. Sport climbing, roller sports and skateboarding will join wushu, which was already planned to feature in Nanjing.
The young participants will have the opportunity to take part in a unique Culture and Education Programme (CEP) off the anxiety of play that will focus on themes ranging from Olympism and the Olympic values to skills development and how to lead healthy lifestyles.
Rwanda expects to send a record 25 athletes to compete at the upcoming Summer Olympics that will be held in the Brazilian capital, Rio de Janeiro from August 5-21, 2016.
The Rwanda National Olympic and Sport Committe (RNOSC) has identified 13 sports disciplines to commence preparations and they include archery, athletics, boxing, cycling, augmentin, football, golf, judo, lawn tennis, shooting, swimming, taekwondo and volleyball.
The National Paralympic Committee will also send athletes to Rio de Janeiro as well.
In total, over 150 athletes will be involved in the qualification process as the focus will narrow down to the goal of 25 athletes with a chance to win medals for Rwanda.
The responsible federations have already laid out strategic planning to participate in several global and continental competitions over the course of time in preparation for the prestigious Olympics.
RNOSC Secretary General Ahmed Habineza said, “Champions are not made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them, a desire, a dream, a vision.”
In line with our program ‘Reach the Podium’, this is an opportunity for the athletes to compete at the highest level and with all the support they need, this is an achievable objective.
The highest number of athletes Rwanda has ever sent to the Olympics is 10 (Barcelona 1992) and at the recent London 2012 Games, Rwanda sent seven athletes.
