Rwandan para taekwondo team won two medals at the World Championships that concluded on Friday at the Copper Box Arena at London’s Olympic Park.

Console Rukundo won gold in the K42 female under-58kg after defeating Modro Suelen from Brazil, while De La Croix Nikwigize beat South Kookhyun Kor but later lost to Morocco’s El Fedayni by 13-30 points in the K44 male under-61kg finals.

Jean-Marie Vianney Bizumuremyi, who had won bronze after defeating Austria’s Steven Currie lost his medal after the organisers said a review of his fight showed he had used excessive force, contrary to rules of the competition.

The other Rwandan participant Jean-Pierre Imanirakiza (K42 Male under-61kg), beat Thobroe Leif of Great Britain in the opener; however, he lost in the quarterfinals to South Korean Han Kookhyun, while Eliezer Tuyishime and Jean Claude Niringiyimana were eliminated after their opening fights.

Mahdi Pourrahnama of Ireland won the Most Valuable Player award in the men’s category while Enkhtuya Khurelbaatar took the women’s MVP award.

The competition attracted a total of 263 athletes from 59 countries. Rwanda was ranked 13th in the men’s category while the women’s team is now ranked 8th.

Russia top the championships medal standings, with seven gold medals, five silver medals and one bronze medal.

Italy are second with one gold medal and Japan third with one silver and three bronze medals.

Hero’s welcome 

The team which arrived yesterday morning from London was given a remarkable welcome as ecstatic supporters took to Kigali International Airport to salute their triumphant performance.

They were also welcomed by the vice president of National Olympic Committee Felicite Rwemalika who said that the team’s victory was a great triumph for women sports in the country.

"It shows the future is good for women in the coming years and more should be done to promote women sports in the country,” Rwemalika said.

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