THE Rwanda national men and women’s teams will face stiff challenge from favourites Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda at the Africa Cross Country Championships scheduled for tomorrow in Kampala, Uganda.

Speaking to journalists, the team’s head coach Emmanuel Murenzi said the Rwandan team will go into the competition to win but also bearing in mind that the other competitors are more experienced and exposed at this level.

"We want to focus more on the six male senior athletes to work hard to finish in the top four on the continental level,” Murenzi said early this week as the athletes went through their final preparations for tomorrow’s event.

However, Murenzi explained that for most of the athletes, it will be the first time they will compete in the cross country race. "So the aim is to gain experience for future competitions,” he explained.

While the Rwandan team will be composed of 20 athletes, Kenya has sent a 24-member team as it seeks to defend the title it won at the last two editions of the event in Cape Town, South Africa.

They will compete in the 6 km junior women’s race, 8km junior men, and 8km senior men.

Other countries that have confirmed their participation include; Morocco, Gambia, Eritrea, Tunisia, Seychelles, Malawi, Sudan, Madagascar, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Comoros, Cameroon, Benin  and the hosts Uganda.