Long distance runners Eric Sebahire and Felicien Muhitira will be hoping to win medals this afternoon when they compete in the Men’s 10.000m at the All Africa Games at 5pm Central Africa Time.

Two-time reigning national champions Sebahire and Muhitira, who competed in 5.000m at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing last month, are the two male athletes representing Rwanda in Congo Brazzaville.

Should any of them manage a podium finish, it will be the first athletics medal for Rwanda in history of the 50-year old All Africa Games. The 11th edition of the quadrennial event started on September 2 and will climax on September 19.

In 2011 in Maputo, Mozambique, Rwanda was represented by Jean Marie Uwajeneza, who finished 7th out of 10 competitors, clocking 29:08:04 in a race that was won by Ethiopia’s Ibrahim Jeilan in 28:18:22. 

Kenya’s Bedan Karuki Muchiri (28:19:22) won the silver medal while bronze went to Ethiopian Amzeraw Bekele after using 28:19:32.

The women’s 10.000m race will take place on September 16. Rwanda will be represented by Claudette Mukasakindi and Clementine Mukandanga.