A number of Rwandan golfers are set to travel to Japan as part of an initiative aimed at honing their skills so that they can compete in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, USA. The initiative was put in place by Japanese company Golf Sheroes Management. The golfers involved are required to have already demonstrated good skills and will be given the platform to hone their talents and reach their full potential. ALSO READ: Golf: Nsanzuwera wins 2025 Rwanda Open The four golfers selected include Queen Chelsea Nikaze, Aurelie Batamuriza, Phoibe Isimbi, and Sylvie Irakoze, who won the Amateur Ladies’ Division in the 2025 Rwanda Open. They will travel to Japan this month for six months of trial games to refine their skills. At a reception held for the athletes at the Grand Legacy Hotel on Friday, March 7, Kazao Noda, Co-Managing Director of the initiative said it is already showing positive results. “The project started in July 2024, and within a year, we have produced athletes who can compete in continental events. Out of 80 candidates, we selected six, and now four are here. Our long-term goal is to prepare them for the 2028 Olympics and help them win medals,” he said. Japanese ambassador to Rwanda Isao Fukushima praised the golfers’ dedication. “The beauty of sport is that everyone has the potential to succeed regardless of their circumstances, and this project exemplifies that,” he said. In an interview with the New Times, Irakoze said they will do their best and make use of the platform that the initiative has offered them. “It is a great step and honour for us in our career and we will make the best out of it and reach the top so that others can follow, she said. Among the high profile personalities who were present at the event included the Rwanda Minister of Sports Nelly Mukazayire, Juliana Kangeli Muganza Deputy CEO of RDB as well as the Korean Ambassador to Rwanda Jeong Woo Jin.
