RWANDA Commonwealth Games Association (RWANDA-CGA) has unveiled the delegation to represent the country at the forthcoming XXI Commonwealth Games scheduled for April 4-15 in Gold Coast, Queensland – Australia.
A total of 17 athletes from four different sporting disciplines will carry the country’s quest for a historic first Commonwealth Games medal. Rwanda will have representatives in cycling, athletics, beach volleyball and Para-Powerlifting.
The 21st edition of Commonwealth Games will attract over 6600 athletes representing 70 countries and territories in 18 sports and 270 medal events.
Rwanda made her debut in the quadrennial event eight years ago in New Delhi, India, and her second appearance in 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland.
However, no Rwandan athlete was able to manage a podium finish at either edition.
Cycling
Africa’s top-rated Joseph Areruya will lead Team Rwanda Cycling in Australia, looking to take his impressive cycling talent to global scene after conquering the continent in the past five months.
The 21-year-old rider claimed Tour du Rwanda 2017 last November and the 2018 La Tropicale Amissa Bongo in January.
After the magical performance in Gabon where he became the first Rwandan and only third African cyclist to win Africa’s most respected cycling event, Areruya added on the inaugural UCI Tour de l’Espoir in Yaoundé, Cameroon early February.
The Dimension Data for Qhubeka rider went on to win four medals, two gold, one silver and one bronze medal at the recently-concluded African Continental Road Championship held from February 13-18 in Kigali.
Making his debut at the international multidiscipline games, cycling sensation Areruya will be on a team of six.
Other big names on the team include; two-time Tour du Rwanda champion Valens Ndayisenga and Bonaventure Uwizeyimana, Didier Munyaneza, Jean Paul Rene Ukiniwabo and Jean Claude Uwizeyimana.
For the first time, Rwanda will also field female riders at the two-week long competitions, among them, reigning national champion Beatha Ingabire as well as Magnifique Manizabayo.
Apart from Ndayisenga and Uwizeyimana, the rest of the cyclists on the team will be making their maiden appearance in Commonwealth Games.
At the 2014 edition, Rwanda fielded six riders in men’s category in Glasgow. Former national team captain Janvier Hadi and Valens Ndayisenga competed in Individual Time Trial (ITT) and finished 19th and 23rd respectively.
They were also joined by Adrien Niyonshuti, Bonaventure Uwizeyimana, Gasore Hategeka and Jean Bosco Nsengimana but none of the six riders managed to finish the race that was won by Wales’ Thomas Geraith.
Athletics
In athletics, Rwanda will be represented by six track and field athletes led by 20-year- old star Salome Nyirarukundo, who will compete in the women’s 10,000m.
Others include; Alexis Nizeyimana (full marathon), Christopher Tuyishime and James Sugira (men’s 5000m), Beatha Nishimwe (1500m) as well as Alice Ishimwe, who will race in the women’s 800m.
Nyirarukundo represented Rwanda at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics in Brazil where she finished 27th out of 37 competitors in women’s 10,000 metres clocking 32: 7:80.
Her personal best in 10,000 metres is 31:45:82, which she recorded at the 2016 Olympic Games qualifiers in Durban, South Africa.
Fresh from winning a bronze medal at this year’s Barcelona Half-marathon, Nyirarukundo is set to link up with the rest of the team this month after his training stint in Eldoret – Kenya.
Beach Volleyball
The reigning African champions Charlotte Nzayisenga and Denise Mutatsimpundu will not only represent Rwanda but also have the entire Africa on their shoulders in the women’s beach volleyball category.
The pair booked their ticket to the finals of the XXI Commonwealth Games, in October last year, after beating Nigeria in the final of African Championships held in Sierra Leone.
Rwanda has been drawn in Group C alongside favourites New Zealand, Singapore and Vanuata. Group A comprises of hosts Australia, Scotland, Grenada and Cyprus while Group B is made of giants Canada, England, Trinidad and Tobago as well as Fiji.
Christophe Mudahinyuka’s team will have to finish in the group’s top two to secure a spot in knock-out stages.
Since February 12, Nzayisenga and Mutatsimpundu have been training at Amahoro national stadium and they were supposed to start residential camp in Rubavu on Saturday.
Para-Power lifting
After the 2014 debut in powerlifting where Theogene Hakizimana was the flag bearer, Rwanda has again been offered one wild card in Para-powerlifting and this time, it will be Vedaste Niyonzimana who will carry the flag.
[Based on The New Times Article.]