She secured the medal on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, after recording a time of 23:25.92 in the women’s 5000-meter race during the championships being held in Ghana.
Rwanda’s Minister of Sports, Nelly Mukazayire, congratulated Imanizabayo for continuing to make the country proud through her performances at the competition.
“She keeps making us proud. Continue shining and bringing honor to our country. The target is the Olympics and a world medal. You are capable and fully supported,” she said.
The Rwanda Athletics Federation (RAF) also expressed pride in having an athlete who emerged as Africa’s best in the competition, calling it a major achievement for Rwanda.
“We are extremely proud of Emeline Imanizabayo for making history and becoming a role model for younger athletes in Rwanda. This exceptional victory reflects the dedication and steady progress of Rwandan athletics at the African level,” the federation stated.
Team Rwanda is represented by four athletes competing for medals in different categories in Accra.
Imanizabayo and her teammates have continued to raise Rwanda’s profile in international competitions. On April 19, 2026, she also won a gold medal at the Dutch Athletics Championships held in Utrecht after an impressive performance in the women’s 5000-meter race.
Meanwhile, on April 26, 2026, Florence Niyonkuru won a gold medal in the Elite Women category at the TCS World 10K Bengaluru competition in India.
