Rwanda clinch maiden medal at Africa AirBadminton Championship (Photos)

Rwanda made history by winning bronze at the 2026 Africa AirBadminton Championship in Uganda, earning the country a maiden continental podium finish in the fast-growing outdoor version of badminton.

The championship was held from September 16 to 19 at Aero Beach in Entebbe, bringing together leading AirBadminton nations from across Africa.

The event was organised under the Badminton Confederation of Africa (BCA) and formed part of the sport’s development and qualification pathway towards the next World AirBadminton event.

Team Rwanda, coached by Girumwete Aimé, competed against more experienced sides before securing a place on the podium in its continental debut.

The Rwandan delegation included Gashema Shimo Benie Christa, Urusaro Vanessa, Musingize Marie Michelle, Tuyizere Hervé, Niyomukiza Yves and Hakuzimana Jean Pierre.

The bronze medal represents an important step for the Rwanda Badminton Sport Federation (RBSF), which has been working to expand the sport beyond traditional indoor badminton and create more opportunities for Rwandan players to compete internationally.

Rwanda was drawn in Group B alongside defending champions Egypt and Burundi.

The tournament’s team-relay format tested teams across different combinations, with Rwanda progressing into the knockout stage before its campaign eventually ended against Mauritius.

Egypt retained the continental team title after defeating Benin 60-57 in the final, while Burkina Faso finished third and Mauritius fourth.

Egypt had also won the 2025 edition, underlining its growing dominance in the young discipline.

Hosts Uganda, meanwhile, recovered in the individual events after being eliminated during the team phase.

Gladys Mbabazi and Denis Mukasa won gold in mixed doubles, while Uganda also collected bronze medals in both men's and women's triples.

AirBadminton is the outdoor version of badminton developed by the Badminton World Federation (BWF).

It was officially launched in Guangzhou, China, in May 2019 with the aim of taking badminton beyond traditional indoor courts and making it accessible on surfaces such as sand, grass and hard outdoor areas.

Africa’s AirBadminton journey began in Uganda in 2021, when the first continental tournament on the continent was held as a friendly competition during the All-Africa Senior Championships.

Another AirBadminton challenge followed later that year at MTN Arena Lugogo during the All-Africa Mixed Team Championships.

The 2026 championship therefore represented another stage in the rapid development of the discipline in Africa, with Uganda moving from an early host of AirBadminton activities to staging a full continental championship.

The historic podium finish on their debut provides a strong foundation for Rwanda’s future in outdoor badminton.

Photos