PHOTOS: Health minister stresses importance of sports at Kigali marathon

When you run, you are investing in your health, health minister Dr Sabin Nsanzimana said in an interview with Times Sport, shortly after concluding the 10km Run for Peace on Saturday, June 13. The run was a curtain raiser for the main races of the Kigali International Peace Marathon (KIPM) scheduled for Sunday, June 14. The marathon will attract elite athletes from 65 countries competing in the half marathon (21km) and full marathon (42km). In total, more than 3,800 professional athletes will join the competitive races, alongside over 4,000 amateurs who participated in the Run for Peace. Dr Nsanzimana took part in the amateur category together with his counterpart, sports minister Nelly Mukazayire, and other dignitaries. When you run, you are actually investing in your health. A 10km run is a good test of how well your lungs and heart function. Maybe next time I will try a half marathon, he said. Highlighting the broader value of such events, Nsanzimana, who is also a black belt in karate (2nd dan), said sports play a key role in promoting unity and well-being. It shows how people come together for social benefits. Sport brings peace, harmony, and friendship. In the health sector, the more people engage in sports, the less we spend on healthcare, he noted. Participants' reactions Sara Beck, assistant coach of the Brazil women's cricket team which is in Kigali for the Kwibuka T20 tournament, described being drawn into the race spontaneously. I love running, I'm gonna have a go, she recalled thinking before the start. It's been so much fun. Kigali is a challenging place to run, there's a lot of up and down, but loads of support on the route. Really well organised. Beck said a moment of encouragement mid-race proved decisive. There was a lady who told me, 'You're the second one, you're the second lady,' and that gave me the energy I needed to finish it up. She added a broader appeal to would-be participants: Get involved with running, get involved with any sport. It's so good for your mental health, it's so good for your physical health, and from a social aspect, I think it's one of the best ways to meet people and have good friends. Local participant Irakoze Keys Clairia captured the emotional reward of completing the race. I'm very, very happy, I made it! she said, directing a message specifically to women: You all have the capability of doing it. You can make it. For Théophile Cyizere, who travelled from Musanze, the 10km served as preparation for Sunday's half marathon. I feel great, and I finished among the frontrunners, he said. This Kigali International Peace Marathon belongs to us as Rwandans. You don't have to be a professional athlete to participate. Simply coming out to exercise is vital, because sport is healthy,” he added.

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PHOTOS: Health minister stresses importance of sports at Kigali marathon