Rwandan athlete Emeline Imanizabayo made historical past on Tuesday after profitable gold within the girls’s 5,000m throughout her debut look on the 2026 African Senior Athletics Championships in Accra.
The 30-year-old delivered a dramatic late dash to cross the end line in 23:25.92, narrowly beating Samia Hassan of Djibouti, who claimed silver in 23:26.34, whereas Zeyen Ayelegn of Ethiopia took bronze in 23:30.55.
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Competing in humid situations, Imanizabayo stayed composed all through a tightly contested race that noticed a number of lead adjustments among the many frontrunners. Ayelegn tried to interrupt away with about 250 metres remaining, however the Rwandan responded strongly earlier than producing a decisive ending dash to seal victory.
The win marked Rwanda’s first-ever gold medal in any occasion on the African Athletics Championships.
“I’m so completely happy and overwhelmed with feelings. Earlier than the competitors, I instructed myself I used to be going to win this, and I thank my coaches for serving to me obtain this dream,” Imanizabayo stated.
Imanizabayo has loved a powerful 2026 season to this point, having additionally received gold within the girls’s 5,000m on the Dutch Nationwide Championships in April.
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She is certainly one of 4 athletes representing Rwanda on the ongoing championships in Accra, operating from Could 12–17. Others are Florence Niyonkuru (girls’s 10,000m), sprinter Magnifique Mutesiwase (girls’s 200m), and Honorine Iribagiza (girls’s 800m).
