Rwanda Triathlon Federation president Alexis Mbaraga is confident that hosting the FRATRI (Association of Francophone Triathlon Countries) annual congress will be a game-changer for the sport in Rwanda.

This comes after the French Triathlon governing body (FRATRI) confirmed that member associations will hold this year’s general assembly in Rubavu District, Western Province from December 3-5.

Rwanda won the bid to host the three-day general assembly, beating off stiff competition from Switzerland, Senegal and Central African Republic which were also vying for the chance to host the annual event.

"We are excited by the trust put in us to organize and host such a big triathlon congress like that despite the fact that our federation is still new in the country,” Mbaraga told Times Sport in an interview.

Rwanda Triathlon Federation became a member of the FRATRI in 2016.  The body comprises 24 members so far, with Africa as the most represented continent.

Mbaraga said that choosing Rwanda to host the event didn’t come by chance but on merit due to the government’s extensive efforts in promoting the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) sector, the political will to support the sports conference tourism as well as facilitating visa-free entry for passengers from member states of the African Union, the Commonwealth and the Francophonie for a 30-day stay.

He said that the body took account of a number of criteria before confirming Rwanda to host the event including the government’s will to support the federation’s bid, the current security status as well as how the country has been faring in hosting a number of international events.

"This general assembly is a big deal for our country because officials of member countries from their respective triathlon federations will not only convene to discuss the future of the game but also use the occasion to have an experience of our country and get to know the true image of the country,” he said

"We are doing our best to organize a successful general assembly because we want to show that we can host international tournaments,” he added.

A modern and dynamic Olympic and Paralympic sport, Triathlon is a fast-growing multiple-stage competition involving the completion of three continuous disciplines.

While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances.