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.