Women: Top three1: Hanani Uwineza 1:21’:03”2: Britney Powers 1:29’:03”3: Alice Tuyisenge 1:37’:34”

Men 1: Fazil Rukara 1:03’:10” 2: Mark Schuk 1:04’:17”3: Jean de Dieu Maliseli 1:05’:57”

Gisenyi-Zenith Club’s Hanani Uwineza was crowned the winner of the Kigali Duathlon Challenge on Sunday at Amahoro National Stadium in Remera.  It was a battle of nerves in the grueling 8km run-20km bike-5km race as Uwineza completed the challenge in 1hr 21min 3sec, eight minutes ahead of her nearest rival, Britney Powers, who participated as an individual. The Gisenyi-Zenith Triathlon Club athlete said that she was thrilled to win what she described as a "very tough challenge”, admitting that it was more competitive than all the previous rounds, including the first Challenge held in June in Karongi district that was won by Karongi Zenith Club.

The same team dominated the second event staged in September in Rwamagana. Uwineza attributed her victory to hard work.

Uwineza’s teammate and upcoming youngster, Alice Tuyisenge, finished in third place after using 1hr 37min’s 34sec. The women’s category attracted seven athletes. 

"I am happy to win here in Kigali; it was a tough challenge compared to the previous events,” Uwineza said, before adding that, "the next task is to compete and win the remaining two Challenges especially the last one at home in Rubavu.”

Meanwhile, Fazil Rukara once again proved that he is the man to beat as he dominated the men’s category, having emerged the winner in the same competition last year, although it was just a friendly challenge, then.

The Kigali Triathlon Club athlete emerged victorious after clocking one hour, three minutes and ten seconds to edge Mark Shuk from Holland (1h: 04:17) and Rwamagana Triathlon Club’s Jean de Dieu Ngarukiyehafi (1h: 05:57).

The Kigali Duathlon Challenge, sponsored by Bralirwa through their Coca-Cola brand, was part of the National Triathlon Championship calendar, organised by the National Triathlon Federation (RTF).

RTF president Alex Mbaraga thanked the sponsors, fans, and Kigali City Mayor for making the event a success.

"Having the Challenge in Kigali is part of the plan to showcase City development in order to spur tourism. Today world over, sports events are being used to build the brand of host nations,” he stated.

The Kigali Duathlon Challenge attracted over 30 triathletes, including 27 men and 7 seven women, and only three failed to finish.

Participants came from different local triathlon clubs, namely; Gisenyi-Zenith, Rwamagana, Muhazi, Karongi and Kigali as well as foreign participants from Europe, the U.S, who entered as individuals.

After the Kigali Challenge, the next event will head to Nyamata in November before the National Championship concludes with the final competition of the season in Rubavu, in December. 

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