Rwanda’s Beach Volley, Para Powerlifting and athletics teams departed for Australia yesterday morning ahead of the upcoming Commonwealth Games scheduled for April 4-15 in Gold Coast.

A total of 17 athletes across four different sporting disciplines will represent the country in the search for a historic first Commonwealth Games medal. Rwanda will have representatives in cycling, athletics, beach volleyball and parapowerlifting.

In athletics: James Sugira (5000), Salome Nyirarukundo (10,000m), Beatha Nishimwe (1500m), Alice Ishimwe (800m) and Christophe Tuyishime (5000m) with Eric Karasira as their coach.

Parapowerlifting: Vedaste Niyonzima and Jean Paul Nsengiyumva (trainer). Beach Volley: Denise Mutatsimpundu and Charlotte Nzayisenga with their coach, Christopher Mudahinyuka.

The Rwandan duo will begin their campaign against New Zealand on April 6 before taking on Vanuatu on April 8 and wrapping up the group stages with a clash against Singapore the following day.

Jacques Mugisha travelled as team manager. The head of the Rwandan delegation, Eugene Nzabanterura arrived in Gold Coast earlier on Friday.

The cycling team is supposed to travel on April 5 along with athlete, Alexis Nizeyimana (Full Marathon).

Last year, Nizeyimana won the national cross country championship, clocking 30 minutes, 38 seconds and 78 micro seconds.

The 21st Commonwealth Games will attract over 6600 athletes representing 70 countries and territories in 18 sports and 270 medal events.

Rwanda joined the Commonwealth in 2009 and debuted at the Commonwealth Games in 2010 in Delhi, India and competed again at the 2014 edition that was hosted in Glasgow, Scotland, however the country is yet to win any medal.

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