BUJUMBURA, Burundi (August 31) -- Burundi took a major step forward in the development of wrestling in East Africa as Bujumbura hosted the East Africa phase of the United World Wrestling Regional Educational Development Team (REDT) programme - Road to Dakar 2026, combining athlete preparation, coach education, referee development and regional competition.
Held from August 17 to 23, the programme brought together athletes, coaches and refereeing officials from across the region with a common objective of strengthening technical capacity, developing national wrestling structures and creating stronger pathways towards future international competition.
The initiative culminated in a two-day regional wrestling competition on August 22 and 23, where teams from Burundi, Kenya, Zambia, Uganda and Burkina Faso competed on the wrestling mat and in Beach Wrestling.
Burundi Shines
The host nation delivered an outstanding performance, finishing first in both the wrestling and Beach Wrestling competitions.
According to the Burundi Wrestling Federation, the country collected 14 gold, eight silver and 10 bronze medals in the mat competition. In Beach Wrestling, Burundi added five gold, six silver and four bronze medals, bringing its overall medal tally to 47 medals across the two competitions.
Kenya finished second in both competitions, while Burkina Faso took third place in the overall Beach Wrestling standings.
The results marked an important achievement for Burundi, which has been working to strengthen wrestling across the country and establish itself as a leading wrestling nation in East Africa.
Burundi's Youth and Sports Minister Lydia NSEKERA highlighted the importance of the competition and welcomed the progress being made in the development of wrestling in the country. She also recognised the contribution of the international wrestling community to the development of the discipline in Burundi, particularly through the deployment of experts and capacity-building activities for coaches and referees.
From Education to Competition
Alongside the athletes' training camp, which ran from August 17 to 20, coaches participated in the UWW Technical Course for Coaches – Level 2, held from August 17 to 21.
The programme combined classroom-based learning with practical sessions on the wrestling mat. Coaches were able to develop their knowledge and coaching skills while immediately applying the principles covered during the course.
Athletes also trained twice a day, allowing them to work on their technical and physical preparation while benefiting from the presence of coaches and experts from the region.
Refereeing development formed another important component of the programme, with dedicated education on Beach Wrestling and the fundamentals of refereeing, followed by examinations.
Wrestling Pathway
For President of the Burundi Wrestling Federation Elie NIBIZI, the development of wrestling must go beyond individual competitions. The federation has been working on talent identification since 2012, including initiatives aimed at visiting different provinces and identifying young athletes with the potential to develop in wrestling.
According to Nibizi, wrestling was already practised traditionally during the period of the kings, including during Umuganuro, a traditional festival marking the harvest season.
Over time, this traditional practice evolved into the modern sporting discipline, governed by international rules and increasingly integrated into national and international competition structures. The development programme in Bujumbura therefore represents another stage in the country's efforts to transform this heritage into a structured pathway for young athletes.
The regional programme also provided an opportunity to identify areas requiring further development. Following the competition, Nibizi emphasised the importance of continuing to work on both physical and technical preparation, reminding athletes and coaches that international success requires consistent preparation throughout the year.
Road to Dakar 2026
The Bujumbura programme forms part of the broader UWW Africa Road to Dakar 2026 development strategy, using education, talent identification, training and competition to strengthen African wrestling ahead of the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026.
For East Africa, the programme demonstrates the value of regional cooperation in building sustainable wrestling structures. The combination of an athletes' training camp, UWW coach education, referee development and regional competition created a complete development environment in which knowledge could be transferred directly into practice.
As the region continues its preparation towards Dakar 2026 and future international competitions, the Bujumbura experience offers a clear example of how education, athlete development, competition and regional cooperation can work together to build the next generation of African wrestling.
