Rwanda's female middle-distance runner Adeline Musabyeyezu on Sunday, May 29, put up an impressive performance that saw her strike a gold medal in the women's half marathon of the 2022 Kigali International Peace Marathon.
The annual event, which was in its 17th edition, and the first since Rwanda was awarded the World Athletics label, attracted athletes from different parts of the world including the First of Rwanda Jeannette Kagame and Kenyan counterpart Margaret Kenyatta who also participated in the Run for Peace category minutes after they officially inaugurated the race at the BK Arena.
British long-distance runner Mo Farah was also in the country to witness the Peace Marathon as the special guest.
Musabyeyezu clocked 1h14'09" strike gold, 11 seconds ahead of Burundian Elevanie Nimbona (1h14'20") while Kenyan Doris Jepkoech went on to finish third to win bronze in the process.
"I am so excited for this performance. I came second at last year's edition and I have since set a goal that I had to win gold this year and here I made it. I dedicate this victory to the technical team and administration that took care of us during our preparations for the Peace Marathon," she said.
The 25-year-old, who plays for APR Athletics, is one of only two Rwandan athletes who managed to make it to the podium in the race that was dominated by Kenyans in various categories.
Veteran Robert Kajuga (1h05'17") was another local figure who impressed at the Peace Marathon during which he won bronze in the men's half marathon, behind Kenyan gold winner Shadrack Kimining (1h04'30) and Ugandan Gilbert Kamutwire who clocked 1h05'03" to strike silver.
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It took the 37-year-old at least 10 years to return to the podium having also struck bronze in the half-marathon race at the same event back in 2012.
Now back unde the colors of Mountain Club Kajuga is confident he can only get better now that he is allowed to compete at different international athletics competitions after he finished his five-year ban from participating at events organised by the World Athletics since 2016 for failure to take an out-of-competition drugs test.
"I am so happy that I returned to the competitions on an impressive note and I truly believe the best are yet to come. I am not here to talk about the past, my focus is now on the future and I am looking forward to more milestones," Kajuga told Times Sport.
Meanwhile, it was the Kenyans who dominated the full marathon with the men's podium featuring Kenyan trio of gold medal winner Wilfred Kigen (2h16'36"), while Johnstone Kibet Maiyo (2h17'41") and George Nyamori Onyancha (2h17'47") struck silver and bronze respectively.
Margaret Agai, also Kenyan, struck gold at the Women's full Marathon, clocking 2h35'23" while Koria Rebecca (2h36'09") and Bornes Kitur 2h38'29" completed the top three.
