For David Bayingana, his role as a master of ceremonies for the UCI World Championships is a historic and deeply personal moment. The Rwandan radio sports journalist is the voice introducing his country to the world on a global stage, something that brings him a mix of both immense gratitude and adrenaline. ALSO READ: Africa’s turn: UCI Road World Championships kick off in Kigali This year’s championship has brought together a record 106 countries, with 35 African nations represented. A total of 996 riders are competing across various categories, including—for the first time—the Men’s and Women’s Under-23 races, introduced to ensure equal opportunity for emerging athletes. When asked what it means to be the master of ceremonies for an event of this magnitude, David Bayingana explained that the opportunity is both deeply personal and historic. For him, the role is about more than just announcing names—it's about representing his country on the world stage. “Can you imagine the moment when you have to introduce the world to your country? It was emotional, historic, and it reminded me why I love doing this,” he said. When it comes to such a worldwide event, Bayingana emphasised on the preparation and the importance of humility and collaboration, stressing that every event is a learning opportunity. He noted that preparation is a continuous process that involves studying names, reading scripts, and understanding the meaning behind the event. Above all, he said that humility is the most important trait for a presenter. “You might think you’re bigger than the event, and the event humbles you, because not all events are the same, and they don’t all require the same skills. You have to be humble and do exactly what you have to do.” ALSO READ:Kigali streets turn into vibrant fan zones for UCI championship As for the UCI world championship, Bayingana admits that there have been some challenges so far, but he was open to it, particularly the immense workload of introducing a large number of participants. He said the experience of hosting the UCI has been a lot of work, especially with the volume of names to get through. “It has been a lot of work; can you imagine introducing 120 names for a day? And having it to do over and over? However, it is a good challenge and I am enjoying it,” he noted. Bayingana is a seasoned master of ceremonies with a long history of officiating major sporting events in Rwanda. His experience in cycling dates back over a decade, as he served as the MC for Tour du Rwanda for at least 10 years as of 2021.
