Rwanda Athletics Federation (RAF) has pledged to support the two long distance runners, Claudette Mukasakindi and Jean Baptiste Simukeka who have qualified for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Mukasakindi, 33, and Simukeka, 32, both from APR athletics club earned qualification minima in full marathon, in Italy last month.

RAF’s technical director, Jean Pierre Ndacyayisenga said the duo will get full support in a bid to prepare them well for the 31st edition of Olympics slated for August 6-21, 2016.

"Earning qualification this early is good not only for the athletes but the federation as well; it means we have enough time for preparations.

In the past, because our runners used to go into Olympics courtesy of wild cards invitations, it has always been hard to prepare them well enough,” Ndacyayisenga told Times Sport.

Simukeka and Mukasakindi join Hermas Cliff Muvunyi (Paralympics), Women’s sitting volleyball team and cyclist Janvier Hadi, who were the first to book tickets to the world’s biggest sports event.

Mukasakindi will be making her second appearance at the quadrennial event following her debut in London four years ago while Simukeka will be making his debut at the highest level.

Mukasakindi clocked 2:33:00 at Firenze marathon to land qualification while Simukeka used 2:17:14to earn the ticket at the Reggio Emilia marathon. The required minima in men’s marathon is 2:19:00 and 2:45:00 for the women.

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