Rwanda Amateur Boxing Association (Raba) is optimistic on successfully beating the minimum requirement for the 2012 Olympic Games due in London, England.

The Raba Technical Director Gashugi Kananura told Times Sport recently that though a rigid qualification format for the 2012 summer games has been set up, Rwanda must meet the minimum requirements to enable Rwandan boxers take part in the Games.

"We will only need to start preparations to enable our campaign come true. We have to participate in local and international competitions to expand exposure on our local boxers.

"Rwanda has talented boxers, who can reach that far and the 2010 Youth Olympic Games will help to identify better boxers for the 2012 Games,” Gashugi said.

Rwanda’s next Olympic hopefuls will have to face a rigid qualification format. The Amateur International Boxing Association (Aiba) unveiled a new qualification system on aiba.net.com, which was approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Lausanne, Switzerland early this month.

Aiba will hold only one Olympic qualifying tournament for each continent. For the 2008 Beijing Games, Rwandan boxers went through two qualifiers but failed to qualify to the Olympic Games.

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