Rwanda secured two medals at the 21st edition of the Brazzaville International Half Marathon in the Republic of Congo, with Byukusenge Devotha winning gold in the women’s race and Hakizimana John taking silver in the men’s category.
The 21.1-kilometre race was held in Brazzaville on Friday, August 14, 2026, attracting 1,614 runners from 38 countries across four continents.
In the men’s race, Djibouti’s Houssein Sougueh Aden took gold after clocking 1:02:38, while Rwanda’s Hakizimana John finished second in 1:03:08. Uganda’s Chepkorom Ezekiel completed the podium in 1:04:57.
Of the 1,306 men who started the race, 799 crossed the finish line.
In the women’s category, Byukusenge Devotha won gold in 1:11:18, finishing ahead of Uganda’s Chelangat Sylvia, who clocked 1:13:21. Djibouti’s Souhra Ali Mohamed finished third in 1:13:42.
A total of 308 women started the race, with 194 completing the 21.1-kilometre course.
The Brazzaville International Half Marathon, also known as the Semi-Marathon International de Brazzaville (SMIB), is an annual international road race in the Republic of Congo.
The event is held with the support of President Denis Sassou Nguesso and is part of activities marking Congo’s independence anniversary.
