Rwanda’s marathon runners Jean Baptiste Simukeka and Claudette Mukasakindi yesterday begun their two-month final training phase in the Kenyan town of Iten ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympics Games, scheduled forAugust 5-12 in Brazil.

The duo left the country on Monday accompanied by the Rwanda Athletics Federation (RAF) technical director John Peter Ndacyayisenga, and will be joined by Holland-based Ambroise Uwiragiye later this month.

RAF decided to send the trio to Iten for intensive training to improve their performance alongside world class athletes, who are also training from there.

"We hope this place is the best for their final preparations,” said Ndacyayisenga.

 Many athletes, including Kenya’s 800m world record holder David Rudisha and world champions Edna Kiplagat, Florence Kiplagat, Lornah Kiplagat, Linet Masai, and Mary Keitany have made homes in Iten.

Edna Kiplagat is the 2011 and 2013 IAAF World marathon champion while Florence Kiplagat is a two-time world champion, having won at the 2009 IAAF World Cross Country Championships and the 2010 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships.

Lornah Kiplagat was the 2007 gold medallist at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, and took three straight World Road Running Championship titles from 2006 to 2008.

Linet Masai won her first world title in the 10,000 metres at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics. At the 2011 World Championships in Athletics, she won her second world track medal, taking bronze in the 10,000m.

Mary Keitany won silver at the 2007 IAAF World Road Running Championships and became the World Half Marathon champion two years later.

She won the 2012 London Marathon with a personal best of 2:18:37 hours – making her the second fastest woman ever in the event. She also holds the world record in the women’s 10 miles (50:05 minutes), 20 km (62:36), and the 25 km (1:19:53).

Many countries use Iten as a High Altitude Training Center for their athletes. The Rwandan athletes are expected to return home on August 2 before heading to Rio de Janeiro.

Apart from the three marathon runners, other Rwandans who have booked their tickets to Rio include; cyclists Nathan Byukusenge (Mountain Bike) and Janvier Hadi (Road).

Hermas Muvunyi (middle distance runner) and the national women sitting volleyball team have also qualified for the Rio Paralympic Games scheduled for September.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw