The 2025/2026 Rwanda Para Athletics Championship came to a successful conclusion on Sunday, June 28, in Bugesera District, bringing together para athletes from across the country for the final day of competition in track and field events.
The championship featured competitions in various disciplines, including sprint and middle-distance races across different disability categories, discus throw, javelin throw, shot put, and powerlifting, as athletes battled for individual medals and team honors.
Musanze emerged as the best-performing team in the women's category after winning 11 medals, while Gasabo claimed the men's overall title following an impressive campaign throughout the championship.
Among the participating teams, UR Huye concluded the season with a commendable performance, finishing fourth in the women's standings after securing a total of four medals. The team won two medals through its female athletes and two through its male athletes earning both gold and silver medals.
The athletes who contributed to UR Huye's medal tally were Nimurere Annourite who won a medal in the women's 100-meter race for athletes with visual impairments, Nsanzimana Edson who earned a medal in the men's 400 meters, Byishimo Esperance who claimed a medal in the discus throw, and Zirikana Claude who also added a medal to the university's overall collection.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Bizima Dominique, President of the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) Rwanda congratulated all participating teams for their dedication and competitive spirit throughout the championship.
> "I would like to congratulate every team that participated in this year's championship. The level of competition continues to improve, and we appreciate the commitment shown by athletes, coaches, and officials," he said.
Bizima acknowledged that a number of challenges had been observed during the season but assured participants that they would be addressed before next year's competition.
> "We have identified several areas that require improvement, and we are committed to correcting them before the next championship. We also encourage coaches to work professionally by giving athletes quality training while paying close attention to their welfare and overall development."
He further reminded all teams that NPC Rwanda has set an ambitious target of winning a medal at the 2028 Paralympic Games calling upon athletes, coaches, and clubs to intensify their efforts.
> "Winning a Paralympic medal in 2028 is our national objective. That dream can only become a reality if every team prepares seriously and works together to raise the standard of para sports in Rwanda."
Despite finishing outside the podium positions, UR Huye athletes expressed confidence that the experience gained this season will motivate them to perform better in the future.
Team representative Randuard Iyamuremye admitted that inadequate preparation affected their performance but promised that the team is determined to improve.
> "Looking at how this season went, we did not have enough training before the championship. We have learned from this experience, and we are now committed to training much harder so that next season we can win as many medals as possible and compete for the championship trophy," he said.
Other UR Huye athletes also pledged to increase their training and improve their performances with the hope of bringing home more medals and challenging for the national title next season.
The successful conclusion of the championship once again demonstrated the continued growth of para athletics in Rwanda while reinforcing the country's commitment to developing athletes capable of competing successfully on the continental and international stage.
The championship featured competitions in various disciplines, including sprint and middle-distance races across different disability categories, discus throw, javelin throw, shot put, and powerlifting, as athletes battled for individual medals and team honors.
Musanze emerged as the best-performing team in the women's category after winning 11 medals, while Gasabo claimed the men's overall title following an impressive campaign throughout the championship.
Among the participating teams, UR Huye concluded the season with a commendable performance, finishing fourth in the women's standings after securing a total of four medals. The team won two medals through its female athletes and two through its male athletes earning both gold and silver medals.
The athletes who contributed to UR Huye's medal tally were Nimurere Annourite who won a medal in the women's 100-meter race for athletes with visual impairments, Nsanzimana Edson who earned a medal in the men's 400 meters, Byishimo Esperance who claimed a medal in the discus throw, and Zirikana Claude who also added a medal to the university's overall collection.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Bizima Dominique, President of the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) Rwanda congratulated all participating teams for their dedication and competitive spirit throughout the championship.
> "I would like to congratulate every team that participated in this year's championship. The level of competition continues to improve, and we appreciate the commitment shown by athletes, coaches, and officials," he said.
Bizima acknowledged that a number of challenges had been observed during the season but assured participants that they would be addressed before next year's competition.
> "We have identified several areas that require improvement, and we are committed to correcting them before the next championship. We also encourage coaches to work professionally by giving athletes quality training while paying close attention to their welfare and overall development."
He further reminded all teams that NPC Rwanda has set an ambitious target of winning a medal at the 2028 Paralympic Games calling upon athletes, coaches, and clubs to intensify their efforts.
> "Winning a Paralympic medal in 2028 is our national objective. That dream can only become a reality if every team prepares seriously and works together to raise the standard of para sports in Rwanda."
Despite finishing outside the podium positions, UR Huye athletes expressed confidence that the experience gained this season will motivate them to perform better in the future.
Team representative Randuard Iyamuremye admitted that inadequate preparation affected their performance but promised that the team is determined to improve.
> "Looking at how this season went, we did not have enough training before the championship. We have learned from this experience, and we are now committed to training much harder so that next season we can win as many medals as possible and compete for the championship trophy," he said.
Other UR Huye athletes also pledged to increase their training and improve their performances with the hope of bringing home more medals and challenging for the national title next season.
The successful conclusion of the championship once again demonstrated the continued growth of para athletics in Rwanda while reinforcing the country's commitment to developing athletes capable of competing successfully on the continental and international stage.
G
Written by: GATUNGANE
EDITOR
Author • Published on June 30, 2026
Article written by GATUNGANE
(Content Editor)
50 views
0 comments
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!