Winning three medals at the 11th Commonwealth Karate Championships 2024, in Durban, South Africa, where Rwanda was represented by only five players was no mean feat considering the challenges, Damien Niyongabo, the president of Rwanda Karate Federation (FERWAKA), told The New Times on Saturday, November 30.
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Niyongabo said the team&039;s performance in Durban "demonstrated that there is just so much potential and that we can do much better because Rwanda has got so much talent."
On Thursday, the trio of Harifa Niyitanga, Sharifu Dushime, and Sidike Niyonkuru, won the country’s first medal, bronze, in the team kata competition category. When the team’s fighting contests begun, the next day, Maïc Ndutiye Shyaka and Fiston Ntwali did not disappoint.
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Shyaka won silver in the U60kg category while Ntwali won bronze in the U67kg category during the individual and team fighting [Kumite] matches.
During the 2018 African Karate Championships when Rwanda won eight medals, Shyaka, then 17, won the country’s first ever gold at an international tournament. At the time, the big stage debutant become Africa’s champion in the -55kg male kumite [fighting] category.
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Niyongabo said: "Seeing our young men stand their ground, bravely, and compete, or battle, against the world&039;s best at a big stage like a Commonwealth karate championship speaks volumes. The coach [Christian Kamuzinzi] and the boys didn't come to Durban for tourism and, our determination and hard work, in my view, paid off. We will leave Durban joyful, and aiming to work harder.
‘Our fighters instill fear in very experienced opponents’
"We are really very thankful for the support we got from the sports ministry and the national olympic and sports committee. Karate is a sport that can make Rwandans so proud. I’ve seen our fighters instill fear in very experienced opponents.”
Niyongabo stressed that getting to a medal podium in a Commonwealth competition, a big sporting event with more than 50 countries, "is no mean feat” considering the opponents’ vast wealth of experience and other factors.
In the U67kg category of the individual fighting [Kumite] matches, on Friday, Ntwali outclassed fighters from countries such England. He quickly tamed England’s Monk Luke as well as Scotland’s Rush Dulan by the same score of 0-8, and drew 3-3 with Williams Jody of South Africa.
On his way to winning silver, Shyaka also instilled fear in his opponents.
He easily conquered Australia’s Go Sean 8-0, India’s Naveen 5-3, and Botswana’s Jonathan Chengeta 8-0.
"The boys’ performance was remarkable! We don't often compete in these big stage events yet we proved that we are able. Recall that Maic [Shyaka Ndutiye] who got us silver yesterday was Rwanda’s first-ever gold medalist a few years ago. All we need is support. This is the first big tournament we participated in this entire year! Experience matters so much in these competitions. And you don’t get it without competing with the best.”
"We were at a disadvantage because our opponents compete in at least 20 big stage international events each year. And then we only brought a team of five players yet a country like Botswana came with about 50. I am really thankful and proud of our team’s triumph. For us, this is big!”
Between the 2018 edition of the African Karate Championships and this year’s 11th Commonwealth Karate Championships the only big stage international competitions Shyaka – and not more than 10 other teammates – have been to are the annual continental championships in 2019, in Botswana, the 2022 East African karate championships, in Kenya, where Shyaka struck gold, and last year’s Africa Karate championships in Morrocco.
The team leaves Durban, on Monday, December 2, after the official closure of the 11th Commonwealth Karate Championships.