Japanese Olympian Shota Iizuka believes Rwandan young athletes have what it takes to reach their potential and compete with the world's best in the near future considering the talent they present in athletics.
Iizuka, 32, is an active athlete who enjoyed great performance in many international championships and games including the 2016 Rio Olympic Games where he struck Silver in the 400m relay.
He visited Rwanda last week where he and his personal coach Yasuhiro Toyoda participated in sports events organized by Japan International Cooperation Agency JICA, through their ongoing campaign dubbed 'Sports for All', in collaboration with JICA volunteers and the Ministry of Sports in Rwamagana and Kigali.
During his visit, young athletes and their coaches in Track and Field in Rwamagana had an opportunity to learn training skills and methods from the Japanese runner in order to improve the performance and coaching skills for future use.
In a very short time that he spent with them, the Japanese told Times Sport that Rwandan young athletes have talent and have potential to shine at international athletics competitions if they are equipped with training skills from qualified coaches.
READ ALSO: Rwandan athletics: Country crying out for another Disi
"Rwandan young athletes’ talent is very high compared to the Japanese of their age,” Iizuka said in an interview.
"I had a chance to train with some of the young athletes in Rwamagana, they were really good and very talented but the only thing they need to do to reach a high level is training hard and consistency," he added.
Iizuka further highlighted Rwanda&039;s potential to produce world-class athletes, mentioning the advantage of the country's hilly terrain.
"Rwanda has a great potential to have world's biggest athletics figures because they have everything,” he said.
"This country has a lot of hills, and countries like Jamaica use those hills to train every day, and I think that plays a part in dominating the world in this game. Young athletes should practice early morning and train on the hills because it helps a lot.”
Iizuka’s visit to Rwanda marks a significant step towards achieving the common goal of promoting sports and nurturing talent.
Before returning to Japan, the athlete met Sports Minister Aurore Mimosa Munyangaju where they discussed how to develop more young talented athletes in Rwanda.
JICA has dispatched 30 Japanese volunteers to Rwanda, including coaches for football and athletics who work to promote sports and the philosophy of "Sports for All" in both Rwanda and Japan.