Sixteen Rwandan athletes, alongside their coaches, on Saturday night, July 23, departed the Kigali International Airport to the United Kingdom where they are expected to represent the country at the much-anticipated Commonwealth Games slated in the city of Birmingham from July 28 to August 8.

They were flagged off by Gervais Munyanziza, the acting Director of Sports at the Ministry of Sports, who handed over the flag to athletes represented by Oliver Ntagengwa before the delegation left the country for the international multi-sport event which brings together athletes from Commonwealth member countries every four years. 

Rwanda has been a member of the Commonwealth since 2009. The country will be represented in four different sports disciplines namely Cycling, Swimming, Beach Volleyball and Athletics while Wheelchair Basketball won’t be represented as earlier communicated.

Two sorts disciplines, Cycling and Athletics, comprise male and female athletes while Beach Volleyball and Swimming will be represented by only men.  

The athletes will be doing the rest of the training sessions in Birmingham as part of settling and getting used to the city’s infrastructure ahead of the Games. 

No Rwandan has ever won a medal at any Commonwealth Games’ edition. 

The Rwandan athletes to Birmingham

Athletics: Men: Yves Nimubona 

Women: Claire Uwitonze, Celine Iranzi and Emeline Manizabayo 

Cycling: Men: Eric Muhoza, Renus Byiza Uhiriwe, Samuel Mugisha, Moise Mugisha and Eric Manizabayo 

Women: Josiane Mukashema, Jacqueline Tuyishime and Diane Ingabire.

Swimming: Eloi Maniraguha and Isiaka Iradukunda

Beach Volleyball: Venuste Gatsinzi and Olivier Ntagengwa