Rwanda Swimming Federation (RSF) president Pamela Girimbabazi has confirmed that she is ready to run for another term in office. Girimbabazi, a retired swimmer, made history in January 2020 when she became the first woman to head a sports federation in Rwanda when she was elected as the president of the swimming federation. Her current four-year term expires on January 26, 2024 and she is considering extending her stay in office as she looks to run for another term ahead of the forthcoming elections whose date is yet to be announced. READ ALSO: Former Olympian Girimbabazi elected swimming body president For me I am committed to serve the sport that I played for a decade,” Girimbabazi said after the federation’s general assembly held in Kigali on December 23. During the past four years in office, she said that she only had two years of service because of the covid-19 pandemic. It’s a period which she isn’t convinced was enough to achieve her goals and she will, hence, be ready to jump on another chance should the members of the federation give her a vote of confidence. “If the members of the federation keep confidence in me, I am ready to serve and push swimming to another level,” she said. As a former swimming star, Girimbabazi represented Rwanda in three consecutive Olympic Games from 2004 to 2008, making her the only Rwandan swimmer to achieve this feat. Her dedication and sportsmanship have made her a minor celebrity and an icon of pure sports spirit. Despite facing challenges such as lack of standard preparations and a regular coach, Girimbabazi's determination remained unwavering. Unfortunately, during the 2020 Sydney Olympics in Australia, she was disqualified due to technical rules that she was unaware of. In the 2004 Athens Games, Girimbabazi finished 48th in the women's 100m breaststroke, clocking in at 1:50:39. She later switched to the 50m freestyle event at the 2008 Beijing Games, where she completed the race in 39 seconds and 78 microseconds, securing the 88th position.
