Rwanda international long distance runner Ambroise Uwiragiye will be hoping to impress in the Rio 2016 Olympics Games which is slated for August 5-21 in Brazil.

In an exclusive phone interview with Times Sport, the Netherlands-based Uwiragiye has admitted that he still has a lot of preparation to do after qualifying, as he needs to reduce his time before heading to Rio.

The 36-year old came on 24th position after clocking 2:18:26 to finish 24th at the NN full Marathon Rotterdam last weekend, finishing six minutes and 15 seconds behind champion Marius Kipserem of Kenya.

"I am working hard in training, perform seven days a week which I think is the only way that will help me to do well at the Olympics. It is really good to qualify but I have to look forward and prepare for the main event. I still have about four months to prepare well,” he said on Saturday.

Uwiragiye added that, "I want to reduce my time by at least two minutes; my coach believes that I have the potential to do that. I will continue to do participate in competitions in Holland in order to be in good shape for the Olympics.”

The NN Marathon Rotterdam is one of the IAAF Gold Label road races and among many qualifying events for the Summer Olympics. Uwiragiye, who will be making his debut at the Olympics, is the third Rwandan athlete to qualify for the prestigious multisport event that attracts the best athletes in the world.

He joined Jean Baptiste Simukeka and Claudette Mukasakindi, who will also compete in the full marathon.

At the 2012 London Olympics, Rwanda was represented by three runners namely; Mukasakindi (women full marathon), Jean Pierre Mvuyekure (men full marathon) and Robert Kajuga in the men’s 10,000m.

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