Kigali is due to host this year's African Championships ©RTF

Twenty-one countries have so far registered for next month's African Taekwondo Championships in Rwanda, organisers have said.

Capital city Kigali is due to host the continental event between July 13 and 17.

As well as the host nation, teams are due to come from Kenya, Sudan, Central African Republic, Egypt, Senegal, Somalia, Eswatini, Ghana, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, The Gambia, Chad, Botswana, Madagascar, Lesotho, Niger, Djibouti, Burkina Faso and Morocco.

Nearly 250 athletes have registered so far, The New Times said.

Both kyorugi and poomsae taekwondo are due to be part of the event, with Rwanda set to field an athlete in every category. 

Egypt is one of the countries confirmed for Kigali so far ©Getty Images
Egypt is one of the countries confirmed for Kigali so far ©Getty Images

Rwanda has never hosted the African Championships before, which was most recently staged in Senegal's capital Dakar last year.

Three Rwandan taekwondo athletes were selected for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualifier but none managed to reach the Games. 

Placide Bagabo is a Rwandan member of the African Taekwondo Union Executive Council.