Rwanda National Olympic Committee has named a provisional squad of 29 athletes for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland from July 23 to August 3.

According to the Chef de Mission of the Rwandan delegation, Serge Mwambali, the team will be led by long distance runners Dieudonne Disi and Epiphanie Nyirabarame, and lead cyclist Adrien Niyonshuti.

"We named the team with the help of the respective federations, they shared with us the names of their medal hopeful athletes. The idea is for the athletes to have adequate preparations, which is why we want residential training camp to start s before the end of the month,” Mwambali said on Friday.

He added: "We also hope to work with the federations to secure them international competitions so they can be in good shape ahead of the Games.”

The 29 athletes will be fighting for 21 slots available for the Glasgow games in five sports disciplines, namely; athletics, boxing, cycling, swimming and Paralympics.

Of the 13 runners picked by the local athletics federation, only eleven will make it into the final team to be comprised of three marathon runners, 10,000m [4], 5,000m [2] and 800m [1].  

Two boxers, Jean Maurice Bikorimana and Olivier Nshingiro, are assured of heading to Glasgow since they don’t have formidable competitors. They will battle elite boxers in light middleweight [64kg] and middleweight [75kg].

Two riders will be dropped among the twelve named by Rwanda Cycling Federation.

Cycling has only ten spots reserved for individual time trial [3], team time trial [5] and mountain bike [2] races.

Others are; Patrick Rukundo [swimming, 50m freestyle] and Theogene Hakizimana [Paralympics; power lifting, 75kg].

Disi factor

Among all the athletes lined up for Glasgow, veteran long distance runner Disi is the only one who is in serious preparations, in Kenya’s Iten training centre.

Disi, who turns 34 years in November, has indicated his intention to win a medal in this year’s edition before his anticipated retirement.

The Glasgow Commonwealth Games are likely to be Disi’s last major international championships and the athlete hopes training from Kenya will boost his chances of quitting on a high.  

The former 10,000m national champion, who will be competing in full marathon alongside Jean Pierre Mvuyekure, said he also plans to compete in different European marathons between April and May in a bid to step up his competitive level.

Last week, the former APR athletics club runner won silver in the Carnaval half marathon where he clocked one hour, four minutes and 43 seconds, 13 seconds behind Burundian Abraham Niyonkuru.

Provisional team:

Athletics: Emmanuel Ntakiyimana, Jean Pierre Mvuyekure, Alexis Nizeyimana, Felicien Muhitira, Epiphanie Nyirabarame, Dieudonne Disi, Claudette Mukasakindi, Eric Sebahire, Cyriaque Ndayikengurukiye, Godfrey Rutayisire, Timothy Bagine, Marcel Ngabonziza and Potien Ntawuyirushintege

Cycling: Adrien Niyonshuti, Bonaventure Uwizeyimana, Emile Bintunimana, Gasore Hategeka, Hassan Rukundo, Janvier Hadi, Jean Bosco Nsengimana, Jeremie Karegeya, Joseph Biziyaremye, Nathan Byukusenge, Patrick Byukusenge and Valens Ndayisenga.

Swimming: Patrick Rukundo

Boxing: Jean Maurice Bikorimana, Olivier Nshingiro

Weightlifting: Theogene Hakizimana