The karate national teach coach has said that "we are committed” to improving through rigorous training and identifying young talent to elevate Rwanda’s standing in future international competitions.
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Christian Kamuzinzi stressed this early Tuesday morning, at Kigali International Airport, moments after the national team returned home from Durban, South Africa, where the 11th Commonwealth Karate Championships 2024, were held. Winning three medals, including silver, at the 11th Commonwealth Karate Championships where Rwanda was represented by only five players was no mean feat considering the challenges, Damien Niyongabo, the president of Rwanda Karate Federation (FERWAKA), earlier told The New Times.
It was Rwanda’s first outing at the Commonwealth Karate Championships.
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On Tuesday, Kamuzinzi said that the team had aimed for gold but all hope is not lost as the future looks bright.
He said: "We trained hard with the mindset of representing Rwanda excellently on the international stage. Winning silver was never the ultimate goal but it's a step in the right direction. We are committed to improving through rigorous training and identifying young talent to elevate Rwanda’s standing in future karate competitions."
Last 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 also did not disappoint, striking silver and bronze, respectively.
Shyaka won silver in the U60kg category while Ntwali won bronze in the U67kg category during the individual and team fighting [Kumite] matches.
Kamuzinzi said: "It doesn’t end here. We will continue to train harder, scout for new talent, and work toward making Rwanda a top country in karate competitions worldwide.”
‘Determination to not let our country down inspired us’
The national team captain, Fiston Ntwali, said they competed against some of the best karate teams globally, including England and Australia. Despite the fierce competition, he said, "Team Rwanda's resilience and dedication” earned them a place on the podium.
He said: "It was a tough competition, on a global stage. We faced well-prepared teams, but we gave it our all, and were among the medal winners.
"Our determination to not let our country down inspired us throughout the tournament. It is this drive that got us on the medal podium. We remain motivated and we are determined to bring gold medals home next time."
The next Commonwealth Karate Championships will be held in 2026, in Scotland.
According to Niyongabo, the federation intends "to ensure that the national team has a strong girls’ squad” in all future events.
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Last year, on her debut at the 2023 UFAK Senior, Cadet and Junior Championships – an annual African Karate Championships – in Casablanca, Morocco, Lucie Yezakuzwe, a high school student, was the only one, in the country’s squad of nine, to raise Rwanda&039;s flag at the medal podium. Yezakuzwe won bronze while fighting in the junior Kumite -53kg category. Overall, she emerged fifth in the Kata contest.