Forty-one karatekas were on June 22 preselected for Rwanda’s national team following a preliminary selection exercise held in Kigali. The athletes were chosen across three divisions: cadets (14–15 years), juniors (16–17 years), and seniors. ALSO READ: Rwanda's Commonwealth silver, bronze medals signal 'so much potential' The team comprises six cadets (three girls and three boys), seven juniors (three boys and four girls), and 28 seniors (nine females and 19 males). ALSO READ: Teenager Yezakuzwe’s sudden rise speaks to country’s untapped potential Christian Kamuzinzi, the national team’s head coach, explained that the 41 athletes were “carefully chosen from 79 good players from various clubs” who took part in the pre-selection exercise as the country readies to challenge for medals at the 2025 African Karate Championship from July 22 to 27. ALSO READ: Agahozo Shalom shines at Karate GMT 2025 “This was a pre-selection exercise and the final squad will be known not later than July 10. From the 41 selected athletes, we want to pick only one boy and one girl in both the cadet and junior categories. For the senior team, we plan to retain seven males and four females, a number which might still be trimmed down,” Kamuzinzi told Times Sport. ALSO READ: 2018: A golden year for Rwanda Karate Cadets: In the cadet boys' category, all three athletes— Fred Irampaye, Ferdinand Agnus Ngoga, and Andy Kayisire— are from Petit Samourai. The girls in the cadet division are Kesia Isingize Mucyo from The Champion, Emelyse Mwiza Umumararungu from Flying Eagle, and Praxeda Twagirimukiza from Petit Samourai. Juniors: The junior boys’ lineup features Sacha Muhire Ngabo from Yamatsuki, Prince Ndayizeye from Petit Samourai, and Credo Armand Byusa Kabagema from The Great Karate Academy. All the four girls in this category — Aline Irakoze, Caline Irakoze, Emelyne Habimana, and Judith Umurerwa—are from Flying Eagle. Seniors: In the men's category, Fiston Ntwali, Mike Ndutiye Shyaka, Jean Claude Munyaburanga, Omar Usengimana, Mussabu Dukundimana, Arthur Ngoga Muhigirwa, and Jean de Dieu Fils Ishimwe, are from The Great Warriors. Siblings Khalifa Niyitanga, Sharifu Dushime, and Sidike Niyonkuru, as well as Paul Kagimbi, Beltert Udahemuka and Fravien Munyaneza, are from APR. Marthie Nigena, Emmanuel Ishimwe, Gilbert Niyotwizera, and Fiston Niyonkuru are from Mamaru Club. Mupenzi Rutikanga is from Zanshin, while Moses Kumbisho Rutareka is from Agahozo Shalom. The seniors’ female squad has Razia Uwase, Sandrine Ishimwe, and Paremonique Abayisenga from APR Club. Yvette Umurisa, Joselyne Niyonkuru, and Rose Mary Uwayisenga are from Flying Eagle Club. Lucie Yezakuzwe and Ornella Irakoze are from Agahozo Shalom, while Selaphine Mbabazi is from The Great Warriors. The 2025 African Karate Championship, officially titled the Union des Fédérations Africaines de Karaté (UFAK) Championships, will be held in Abuja, Nigeria, from July 22-27, according to the World Karate Federation. The competition which will comprise cadet, junior, and senior divisions will also serve as a qualifier for the World Karate Championships. It will feature competitions in both kata (forms) and kumite (sparring). In 2018, when the continental championships were held in Kigali, Maic Shyaka Ndutiye, then 17, won a gold medal, marking the first time a Rwandan athlete had achieved this feat in an international karate tournament.
