Rwanda’s medalists at the 2009 Francophone Games in Lebanon are set to be rewarded by the government. According to the Sports minister Joseph Habineza, the athletes will be rewarded with fresh dairy cows for their hard work.

"It’s going to be a little bit different this time because we are not rewarding them with cash prizes but with a cow each. We feel that it’s time to start doing things according to our culture,” the minister said.

He also urged them to keeping working hard and bring back more medals in 2013.

"There is no luck in sports. It’s all about hard work, commitment, discipline and determination,” Habineza stressed.

Rwanda won three gold medals and two silver medals to finish seventh in Beirut.

Gold medals came from Dieudonne Disi in 10000m, Epiphanie Nyirabarame in women full marathon and Claudette Mukasakindi in women 10000m events respectively while Rwanda’s Cultural troop and Felix Ntirenganya (men’s marathon) returned silver medals.

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