Posted on 2022-04-26 16:31:52
GENOCIDE MEMORIAL SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIP 2022
Every
year, various Sports Federation in Rwanda in collaboration with the Ministry of
Sports "MINISPORTS" and the Rwanda Olympic and Sports Committee,
organize Commemorative games for members of the Sports Community, including
Athletes, Coaches, Officials and Fans of Sports which lost their Lives in the
1994 Genocide against the Tutsi’s.
As
a results of this, On Saturday, April 16, 2022, the Rwanda Swimming
Federation(RSF) organized the Genocide Memorial Swimming Championship 2022, the
first of it’s kind in this year 2022 which held at the Green Hills Academy in
Nyarutarama.
The
competition was the most attended for the first time in History, as it involved
114 players from different categories from 12 teams.
The
athletes competed from it’s age categories in boys as well as girls, each
player compete individually and competed as a Relay Team.
Overall,
the 22 Players of Mako Sharks SC of Kigali won the Tournament with 841 points,
winning 29 medals, including 11 Gold, 10 Silver and 8 Bronze.
Some of the players who helped the team to won the Tournament were 12-year-old Omoro Saniyah in the Women’s category who won 5 Gold Medals in various categories including “Backstroke” . In 50 meters, She clocked 37 seconds 54 (37’’54’’’).
The
other best performer was Maniraguha Eroi, 26 years of Old in Men’s Category,
who won 5 Medals, including Three (3) Gold and two (2) Silver Medals.
Mako
Sharks SC followed by CS Karongi in the Second place with 559 points and 18
medals, while Vision Jeunesse Nouvelle of Rubavu cames Third with 382 points
and 14 medals.
Other teams ranked CBS Karongi (177) as 4th , Rwamagana Canoe SC (165), Cercle Sportif de Kigali (85), Rwesero SC (76), Gisenyi Boys SC (76), Mount Kenya University SC (66), Thousand Kilos SC (64), Les Dauphins SC (59) and Rubavu SC with (36) points.
CS Karongi in the Second place with 559 points with 18
medals
Vision
Jeunesse Nouvelle of Rubavu cames Third with 382 points and 14 medals.
This
is the first competition the new RSF Committee has organized since it’s
Elective in January 2020.
RSF
President Girimbabazi Pamela said that no competitions have been organized due
to COVID-19 and they are happy that the Remembrance Tournament has been
successful.
Asked
why the competition took place a little earlier than when the commemorative
competition started, Girimbabazi explains that they wanted to do it for
students who are still on vacation, so that they can be seen in large numbers.
“You see, most ot them are
young people, so we would like to see them all compete because they are on
vacation. After this, they are going back to their Schools”, She added
RSF
President Girimbabazi said that”After this competition, there are other
competitions as they plan’s to take care of the young people and prepare them.
So that in the coming days there will be children’s competing at the
international level”.
Permanent
Secretary in the Ministry of Sports "MINISPORTS", Mr. Shem a Maboko
Didier said
that”There has long been a partnership between Sports Federations and the
Rwanda Olympic Committee in organizing the Memorial Tournament Games”.
He
says the Swimming competition is the first of it’s kind but other Sports will
be in the coming days.
Mr.
Shema said, He is proud to have such games for parents to accompany their
children.
“Parents
are also responsible for the development of the Sports in addition to their
accompanying coaches and children who play”.
“It's
good because everyone has a role to play in promotion of Sports, when parents
accompany their children they give them strength and know where their children
are going to join coaches and get to know their children standing, which gives
us confidence that so when we join Sports”.
The Swimming Remembrance Competition was attended by a delegation from the Ministry of National Unity & Civic Engagement (MINUBUMWE) Mr. Sylvain RUCABABISHA, the First and Second Vice Presidents of the Rwanda Olympic Committee, Alice Umulinga and Umutoni Salama.