Rwanda Swim Team Wins 36 Gold Medals at Olympic Day Event

Young swimmers across Rwanda just proved that dreams and dedication create champions, with one swim club taking home more than half the gold medals at a national tournament.

Mako Sharks Swim Club captured 36 of 55 gold medals at the 2026 Olympic Day Swimming Tournament held Sunday at Green Hills Academy in Kigali. The event, themed "You Can Do This. Let's Move," brought together 127 swimmers from five clubs across the country.

The tournament celebrated Olympic Day, an annual global event honoring the founding of the International Olympic Committee and promoting sports participation for all ages. Rwanda's celebration focused on teaching young athletes the Olympic values of excellence, friendship, and respect.

Several standout performances lit up the pool. Seventeen-year-old Christian Byiringiro from Cercle Sportif Karongi Academy became the competition's most decorated individual swimmer, sweeping all five events in his age category. He won the 50m freestyle in just 26.38 seconds and dominated backstroke, butterfly, and breaststroke events.

Mako Sharks' Xiyao Zhang delivered an impressive performance in the girls' 11-12 category, winning all four of her events. Her times included 45.29 seconds in the 50m freestyle and victories in backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly.

The youngest competitors also shined. Christina Nsibirwa took double gold in the girls' 9-10 category, while Les Dauphins' Chris Ganza captured three gold medals in the boys' 9-10 division.

The Ripple Effect

This tournament represents more than medals and fast times. Rwanda's growing swimming community is building confidence and skills that extend far beyond the pool, showing young people what's possible when they commit to their goals.

Alice Umulinga, president of Rwanda National Olympic and Sports Committee, emphasized the importance of teaching values alongside athletic skills. Parents and coaches play crucial roles in reinforcing principles of discipline, respect, and perseverance that help young athletes succeed in sports and life.

Rwanda Aquatics Federation president Cynthia Munyana reminded swimmers that excellence requires more than physical ability. Discipline and mutual respect remain core to reaching their full potential on the global stage.

The energy at Green Hills Academy on Sunday showed a bright future for Rwandan swimming, with young athletes eager to represent their country and chase their Olympic dreams.