Rwandan athletics registered mixed results in 2016 but to a larger extent, there was a significant improvement in the chase to catch up with our regional counterparts that have mastered the sport globally.

Despite the poor show at this year’s Rio Olympic Games in Brazil, Rwandan athletes registered some outstanding performances in different regional and international competitions which saw some long-standing records being broken while young athletes came to limelight.

Times Sport takes a look back at some of the biggest athletics moments in 2016.

Record-breaking moments

Athletics is a sport where time means everything; hence the worst opponent to any athlete is beating the time earlier set or setting the record time for any race. In 2016, several national records were broken;

Ntakiyimana sets new 400m record after 20-years

In July, 28-year-old Emmanuel Ntakiyimana broke a 20-year-old national record in 400m at the Uganda National Athletics Championships.

The 2016 Uganda National Athletics Championships was staged at Mandela National Stadium in Kampala (July 5-10) with Ntakiyimana being Rwanda’s only representative at the week-long competition, and his impressive run saw him win a bronze medal.

By running 400m in 47 seconds and 8 microseconds, Ntakiyimana broke the record of 48.80 which was held by Emmanuel Rubayiza on September 14, 1995. Ntakiyimana also set a new personal best, bettering the 49.75 he posted four years ago in Porto Novo, Benin.

Myasiro breaks 10,000m record after 12 years, makes memorable interview

Again, in this month of July, 19-year-old Jean Marie Vianney Myasiro broke a 12-year old national record in 10,000m in Poland.

Myasiro was among the team of five comprised of three girls and two boys that competed at 2016 IAAF World Junior Athletics Championships that was scheduled for July 19 - 24 in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Other athletes included Salome Nyirarukundo, Beatha Ishimwe, Honorine Iribagiza and James Sugira.

Despite missing out on the podium finish, the youngster clocked 29:26:16 to finish in the 11th place out of the 34 athletes, hence breaking the record of 29:35:41 that was set by Valence Bivahagumye in 2004 in Italy in a similar event. Bivahagumye was also 19 years old then.

After this competition, the Mountain Classic Athletics Club runner gave one of the most memorable interviews on an international platform due to his modest English.

Nyirarukundo breaks her own U-20 record in 5000m

Still in Poland, Nyirarukundo who is undoubtedly the best athlete of the year in both men and women categories broke her March 13, 2016 national record of 15:57:80, by 12 micro-seconds.

Despite almost pulling out a day before the race after falling sick, she defied odds and finished 13th place in the girls’ 5,000m final clocking 15:57:68 hence breaking her own record.

Kajuga banned for four years over doping

One of the most devastating news in athletics last year was the banning of highly decorated athlete Robert Kajuga by Regional Anti-Doping Organization’s (RADO) after refusing a drug test.

Doping which has been a common practice among Kenyan, Eritrean and Ethiopian had never been reported in Rwanda.

However in March 2016, 31-year old Kajuga who qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, was banned for four years by the Kenyan based body because of his alleged refusal to submit to a doping control after competing in last year’s Kigali International Peace marathon.

Despite appealing against the ban at the International Association of Athletics Association (IAAF), Kajuga lost the appeal and will now return to his profession in 2020.

Kenyans dominate Kigali International Peace Marathon

Since 2004 Rwanda Athletics Federation (RAF) has been organizing an annual International peace marathon dubbed ‘Kigali International Peace Marathon’.

It started as a way to use sports in the healing and reconciliation process in the aftermath of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, this year’s edition was themed "Peace beyond the borders”

Attracting about 4000 athletes from different parts of the world, this year’s event took place on May 22, Rwandan athletes failed to overcome the curse that has denied them win their own race.

As always Kenyans dominated sweeping top positions in both the men and women categories.

James Cheritich Tallam won gold in men’s 42km race using two hours, 19 minutes and 3 seconds ahead of compatriots Rono Kibet who clocked 02:19:20 while William Rutto Chebdi finished in third place (2:20:11).

Theoneste Kayiranga (02:24:06) was Rwanda’s best placed athlete in the 7th position. Thomas Dushimumukiza came in 12th place (02:30:42) followed by last year’s second place winner, Jean Baptiste Ruvubi in the 13th position (02:31:4).

In the ladies’ category, it was also a Kenyan affair with the winner, Jeruiyot Chemweno, clocking two hours, 38 minutes and 20 seconds, ahead of Alice Cheroti Milgo Serser (02:41:32) while Jacqueline Nyetipei Kipromoo (02:53:56) got the third position.

In men’s half marathon, Benson Kipruto took the gold medal clocking 1:4:13 Rwandan Felicien Muhitira came in 5th position while in the ladies’ category; Kenyan Anges Jeruto won the 21km half marathon after clocking one hour, 13 minutes and 31 seconds.

Rwandan Nyirarukundo was the only podium finisher at the event scooping a silver medal after coming in the second position using 1:13:55.

Simukeka disqualification from Olympic Games

2016 will always be a regrettable year for full marathon runner Jean Baptiste Simukeka who was bound to fulfill his dream career of competing at the world’s most prestigious sporting event of Olympic Games.

Simukeka was among the four athletes that were to represent Rwanda at Olympic Games in Brazil, however with two weeks to go while in Kenya for a training camp, the 32-year old runner was disqualified by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) indicating that the athlete had qualified through an event that is not recognized by the international federation.

The APR athletic club runner had earned his ticket to Rio from Reggio Emilia marathon, Italy on December 13 after clocking 2:17:14 to finish second in 42km full marathon.

Olympic Games nightmare

Rwanda sent three qualified athletes at the Olympic Games hoping to win their first ever Olympic medal. However, it was a year to forget.

Netherland-based Ambrose Uwiragiye finished in 99th position with a time of 2 hours, 25 minutes and 57 seconds on his Olympics debut in the men’s 42km race.

Claudette Mukasakindi posted her worst time in the women full marathon finishing 126th out of 133 runners posting three hours, 5 minutes and 57 seconds, which was way below the time she posted in London 2012 when she finished 101st with a time of 2:51:07.

Debutants Nyirarukundo finished 27th out of the 35 participants in women’s 10,000m clocking 32:07:80, hence failing to beat her personal best time of 31:45:82 that she set during the 20th edition of Africa Athletics Senior competition that took place June in Durban, South Africa.

In October Nyirarukundo became the first Rwandan athlete to win a regional title twice after Dar-es-Salaam Rotary Half Marathon title for the second time.

As a result, she was named the best women athlete of the year with a total of 1168pts on IAAF rankings followed by 18-year-old Beatha Nishimwe who collected 1142 points while 17-year-old Honorine Iribagiza came in third place with 1118 points.

Ntakiyimana ranked first in the men’s category with a total of 1040 points beating Myasiro by 1003 points while Eric Sebahire came third with 992 points.

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