A woman with a love for golfing has claimed a world record in her sport just two years after first picking up a club.
Ishimwe Akanigi Melissa (Rwanda) completed the fastest unassisted round of golf (female) in just 52 minutes 11 seconds.
She took on the challenge at Kigali Golf Resort & Villas, in Kigali City, Rwanda, where she is a member, on 8 May, and as per the rules, she had to do it completely alone.
That meant she had to carry her own equipment and tee up her own ball for all 18 holes, and she couldn’t use a golf cart to whizz around the course.
The 23-year-old’s achievement is all the more impressive when you find out she only started playing golf in July 2023.
Ishimwe, who runs her own business selling hardware and construction materials, told us: “What began as a simple hobby quickly became something I’m deeply passionate about.”
She first had the idea to break a world record when she was setting her goals for the year last December.
She said: “I had already written down goals for my career, friendships, and spiritual life, and when I got to hobbies, I thought about golf and how much of my time it takes.
“Out of curiosity, I went to the Guinness World Records website and searched for ‘golf’. That’s when I found the record, which no one had attempted yet. I thought it would be exciting to try.
“At first, I imagined it would be simple, but it turned out to be one of the toughest things I’ve ever done.”
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Ishimwe admits she considered giving up after receiving the record guidelines and realizing how much work would have to go into her attempt.
“But I remembered why I started,” she said. “My career and my sport are both male-dominated spaces, and that motivated me to keep going and prove that women can thrive anywhere.
“I shared my goal with my family, close friends, golf community, and Rotary Club. They helped me plan and prepare for it. I worked with a fitness trainer, nutritionist, physiotherapist, and psychologist, and I completely changed my routine.
“Training was intense, sometimes up to eight hours a day. I dealt with fatigue, blisters, and mental breakdowns, but I stayed focused on my goal and the reason behind it.”
Ishimwe faced some challenges on the day of her attempt, including being faced with some unexpected heavy rain.
She said: “For a moment my hope dropped. But I reminded myself why I was there, prayed, and decided that giving up wasn’t an option. That faith and determination carried me through.”
She added: “I would absolutely encourage others, especially young women and girls, to take up golf. It teaches patience, focus, and discipline, which are useful in every part of life.
“Golf has also allowed me to meet incredible people who inspire me to grow and has given me a platform to encourage others to step out of their comfort zones.”
Ishimwe said she was grateful for the support of her parents and family throughout her record journey and for everyone who helped her achieve her goal.
She said: “Some dreams are worth fighting for. I never imagined I’d one day be a world record holder. To every young girl and woman out there, your dreams are valid. With discipline, determination, and faith, you can break barriers too.”