RWANDA’S team for this year’s World Cross Country championship in Bydgoszcz, Poland jets out this afternoon.

The eight-man contingent comprising of six athletes; Eric Sebahire, Felix Ntirenganya, Evariste Nzabonimpa, Claudette Mukasakindi, Pelagie Musengimana and Francine Ingabire, Eric Karasira (coach) and Patrick Rutamu (medic) leaves aboard Ethiopian Airways. Sebahire, Ntirenganya, Nzabonimpa and the duo of Sylvain Rukundo and Gervais Hakizimana , who will link up with the team in Poland, will race in the 12km category while Mukasakindi, Musengimana and Ingabire will run in the 8km race.

After a forgettable outing last year, the local athletics federation (RAF) reckons that a top ten finish by the team will be satisfactory while a sixth or fifth finish would be commendable.

Rwanda’s best display in the event came back in 2004 when she finished sixth.

In a related development, World Cross Country legend Kenenisa Bekele will skip Sunday’s showdown for a second time in a row after failing to recover from a calf injury that has even wiped out his entire indoor season.

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