THE Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) has staked ‘cash prizes’ for every medalist from the Nile Basin Region. 

 "Anoca had a meeting last week and agreed to award every medalist from Zone V or Nile Basin region for every medal they will win,” Anoca Zone V member Elia Manirarora who doubles as Rwanda’s Chef de Mission to the Africa Youth Games told Times Sport yesterday.

Manirarora said this is meant to motivate athletes to overpower West Africans who have dominated the medal tally in the last editions. 

The Nile Basin region is comprised of Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, Egypt and Kenya respectively. 

So far, Rwanda is yet to win any medal despite having participated in swimming and table tennis. 

Rwanda’s only silverware lies in cycling, volleyball, athletics, basketball, karate and Taekwondo.