UPCOMING long distance runner Jean Baptista Simuceka has been ruled out of Sunday’s World Cross Country Championship in Poland. The national team head coach Eric Karasira told Times Sport yesterday that Simuceka is nursing a leg injury which he sustained in Italy recently.
UPCOMING long distance runner Jean Baptista Simuceka has been ruled out of Sunday’s World Cross Country Championship in Poland.
The national team head coach Eric Karasira told Times Sport yesterday that Simuceka is nursing a leg injury which he sustained in Italy recently.
"He will not travel with the team.
He injured his leg and cannot recover in time for the World Championship,”
"We have now called in France-based Gervais Hakizimana.”
Initially, Hakizimana had failed to make the team as the local athletics federation (RAF) opted for youthful athletes in Sylvain Rukundo, Jean Baptista Simuceka, Felix Ntirenganya and Eric Sebahire.
The team, which has been camping at Hilltop hotel, jets out on Thursday. Male athletes will compete in the 12km race while their female counterparts Claudette Mukasakindi, Pelagie Musengimana and Francine Ingabire will race in the 8km category.
The top athlete in either category will bag $30,000 while the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth will pocket $15,000, $10,000, $7,000, $5,000 and $3,000 respectively.
In the team category, the winners will walk away with $20,000 while the second, third and fourth sides will bag $16,000, $12,000 and $10,000 in that order.
Ends