The national cycling team head coach Felix Sempoma has backed cyclist Moise Mugisha to bounce back after a disappointing debut at the ongoing Tokyo 2020 Games.

Mugisha was the first Rwandan, among five representatives, to compete at the Olympic Games taking place in Tokyo, Japan, but luck didn’t go his way after he wasn’t able to finish the Men’s Road Race on Saturday, July 24, due to a car accident.

The 24-year-old was among 41 riders who were not able to finish the race which was won by Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz to strike gold medal ahead of Belgian Wout van Aert and Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar, who completed the podium with Silver and Bronze medals respectively.

Mugisha pulled out of the race inside 140 km en route to Fuji after he accidentally hit a referee’s car as he was trying to get some water from another car.

During the incident, a spare part of the referee’s car hit Mugisha’s head and was eventually rushed to hospital, but his injuries were not as bad.

Sempoma said he was disappointed to see the accident spoil his rider’s opportunity to race in such an elite competition but insists that the experience from the race itself will help both him and Mugisha to improve their level of competence in future cycling challenges.   

"We had an objective to compete against the rest and tried our best but the race didn’t go as planned because our rider had an accident after 140 km. That is something that normally happens in competitions and we had to take it as it was but it was good experience for us to compete against world’s best cyclists,” said Sempoma

"He [Mugisha] had an opportunity in big competitions and I also learnt a lot as a coach. He is still strong and committed to compete at bigger stages and we are looking forward to better results at the Paris 2024 Games and other international cycling tournaments than we did in Tokyo. It’s an experience that we hope will help us do better in future competitions,” he added.

Mugisha is one of five Rwandan representatives at the Tokyo 2020 Games alongside marathoners John Hakizimana and Marthe Yankurije as well as swimming duo Eloi Maniraguha and Alphonsine Agahozo.

According to the schedule, swimmers Maniraguha and Agahozo will both compete next in the 50m freestyle, in both men and women categories, on July 30 at Tokyo Aquatic Stadium while Marthe Yankurije, on the same day, run in the women’s 5,000m category race at Tokyo Olympic Stadium.