RWANDA’S team for this year’s Francophone Games jets out this evening. The Games scheduled for September 26-October 6 will be held in Beirut, Lebanon.

The team, which leaves aboard Ethiopian Airways, comprises of the national U-20 football team, table tennis and athletics teams while the Cultural dance team doesn’t leave until Friday.

Sports and Culture Minister Joseph Habineza is expected to flag off the team at his premises this morning.

Rwanda’s long distance ace Dieudonne Disi is the 10,000m defending champion and is pumped up for his title defence after an intensive training stint in France.

Disi scooped a gold medal in the 10,000m in Niger before also securing a bronze medal in the 5000m. His female counterpart, Epiphanie Nyirabarame also collected a bronze medal in the 42.195km women marathon.

In football, Rwanda will open their campaign with a tricky tie against Mali on September 27.

They will play West African giants Senegal on September 28 before winding up their preliminary campaign with a tough tie against Egypt (September 30).

The U-20 team, table tennis players Steve Sibomana and Fontaine Mukamuhizi and athletes like Godfrey Rutayisire (5.000m), Sylvain Rukundo (10.000m), Felix Ntirenganya  (marathon), Jeanne d’Arc Uwamahoro (800m), Claudette Mukasakindi (5.000m) and Jacqueline Murekatete (5.000m)  will be making a maiden appearance at the Games.

Ends