The squad, selected by the Rwanda National Olympic and Sports Committee, will compete across four sports - athletics, beach volleyball, cycling and Para powerlifting - at next month's event.

Salome Nyirarukundo, a 10,000 metres runner, headlines Rwanda's athletics team for the Games, due to run from April 4 to 15.

The 20-year-old finished 27th in the event at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

She is joined by marathon runner Alexis Nizeyimana, 5,000m competitors Christopher Tuyishime and James Sugira, Beatha Nishimwe, who competes at 1,500m, and 800m athlete Alice Ishimwe.

"The athletes are undergoing intensive preparations at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali and they are all in good form and spirit ready to take part and compete for honours in this year's Commonwealth Games," said coach Eric Karasira.

Joseph Areruya, the reigning Tour du Rwanda champion, leads the country's eight-person cycling contingent, along with Valens Ndayisenga, Jean Paul Ukiniwabo, Jean Claude Uwizeye, Bonaventure Uwizeyimana, Didier Munyaneza, Beatha Ingabire and Magnifique Manizabayo.

Charlotte Nzayisenga and Denise Mutatsimpundu will compete in beach volleyball, which is making its Commonwealth Games debut at Gold Coast 2018, while Paralympian Vedaste Niyonzima is set to be the nation's sole participant in Para powerlifting.

Members of the team will be hoping to secure the country's first Commonwealth Games medal of any colour.

Rwanda have competed at the previous two editions of the multi-sport event - in New Delhi in 2010 and in Glasgow four years later.

The country joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 2009.