Rwandan women cyclists won three gold medals at the 2026 African Road Cycling Championships in Kisumu, Kenya, on Wednesday, October 21, as Diane Ingabire, Jazilla Mwamikazi and Yvonne Masengesho topped their respective individual time trial categories.
Ingabire secured gold in the women’s elite race, completing the 20.4-kilometre course in 31 minutes and two seconds to beat Mauritius’ Aurelie Halbwachs by just one second. South Africa’s Lucy Young finished third.
Masengesho, 18, had earlier won the junior women’s title, giving Rwanda its first gold medal of the championships. She covered the 10.2km course in 15 minutes and 37.19 seconds, finishing about three seconds ahead of Egypt’s Joudy El Sayed. Ethiopia’s Rahel Gimbato took bronze, 31 seconds behind the Rwandan.
Mwamikazi claimed Rwanda’s third gold in the women’s under-23 category, clocking 31 minutes and 17 seconds over 20.4km. South Africa’s Mellett Marzaan finished 27 seconds behind to take silver, while Ethiopia’s Tsige Kiros claimed bronze.
Rwanda also won silver in the men’s elite individual time trial through Shemu Nsengiyumva, who finished 31 seconds behind Uganda’s Charles Kagimu. Kagimu won the 30.6km race in 41 minutes and six seconds, while Kenya’s Evan Kimani took bronze.
In the men’s junior category, Brian Ishimwe finished 10th, about three minutes behind winner Tristan Hardy of Mauritius, who clocked 26 minutes and 49 seconds over 20.4km. Rwanda’s Yasin Niyonkuru finished 14th.
Rwanda’s Xaverine Nirere and Eric Muhoza did not finish their respective women’s and men’s elite races.
The championships run until October 25, bringing together cyclists from across Africa to compete in junior, under-23 and elite categories. Rwanda has entered 29 cyclists across the different events.
The competition continues with the mixed team relay over 40.8km, alongside youth road races covering 119.8km for men and 68.8km for women.
The three gold medals and one silver give Rwanda a strong start as the team pursues further success in the remaining events.
