With six weeks to go, the national athletics team has started intensive preparations ahead of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships slated for March 28 in Guiyang, China.

The five-man team is camping at La Bonne Esperance, Kicukiro on Monday and holding daily training at Amahoro national stadium.

Thirty-one-year old Eric Sebahire will captain team Rwanda at the 41st edition of the biannual event. The last edition was staged in Bydgoszcz, Poland with Kenyans (5 gold medals) and Ethiopians (10 medals in total) dominating the show.

Sebahire, the two-time reigning national men’s 10,000m champion will be making his fifth consecutive appearance at the championships since his debut in 2009.

In a telephone interview on Wednesday, Sebahire told Times Sport, "It’s really a great honor; I and my colleagues will do everything possible to represent the country well in the competition. We’re all doing well in training and I’m sure we will be ready in the next five weeks.”

Rwanda is yet to win a medal at this competition and will be hoping to grab one this time round. Sebahire was last year’s best finisher from Rwanda, claiming the 41st position out of over 200 contenders.

The APR Athletics Club runner holds a personal best of 28’02’ in 10,000m and 1’02’ in half-marathon (21km).

Meanwhile, Uganda (Kampala) has been endorsed by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to host the 42nd edition on March 23, 2017.

Full team:

Eric Sebahire, Felicien Muhitira, Syliaque Ndayikengurukiye, Pontien Ntawuyirushintege and Jean Marie Vianey Uwajeneza.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw