More than 9,500 athletes from Rwanda and abroad participated in the Kigali International Peace Marathon held in Kigali over the weekend, according to the Minister of Sports.
The event, which marked its 21st edition, was held over two days for the first time in its history. The opening day featured a 10-kilometre race for amateur runners, attracting about 5,000 participants, while the second day brought together around 4,500 elite and competitive runners for the 42km full marathon and 21km half marathon events.
Rwandan athletes delivered a strong performance in the half marathon, sweeping all podium positions in the women’s category. Ibishatse Angélique won gold in 1:13:30, followed by Mutuyimana Berthilde who claimed silver, while Tuyambaze Thabita took bronze.
In the full marathon, Kenya’s Kephar Lumbasi Namutala won the men’s race, while Ivyne Jeruto secured victory in the women’s category. Both winners recorded some of the fastest times in the history of the competition.
The marathon is currently classified as an Elite Label event, with Rwanda aiming to elevate it to Gold Label status in the coming years as part of efforts to strengthen its position on the global athletics calendar.
Minister of Sports Nelly Mukazayire praised the growing scale of the event and the improving performance of Rwandan athletes, particularly women, noting steady progress in talent development.
She said government efforts are focused on strengthening athletics from grassroots level to elite competition, with the long-term goal of producing athletes capable of competing with leading regional powers such as Kenya.
Organisers and athletes credited structured training camps and preparation programs for improved performances, saying targeted coaching and support played a key role in this year’s results.
