LOCAL athletes have been told to work extra hard before dreaming of representing the country at the 39th World Cross Country Championship slated for March 20 in Punta Umbria, Spain. Jean Pierre Ernzen, one of the officials at the local athletics federation (RAF) told Times Sport yesterday that only athletes who have impressed in local, regional or international events will be considered.
LOCAL athletes have been told to work extra hard before dreaming of representing the country at the 39th World Cross Country Championship slated for March 20 in Punta Umbria, Spain.
Jean Pierre Ernzen, one of the officials at the local athletics federation (RAF) told Times Sport yesterday that only athletes who have impressed in local, regional or international events will be considered.
"There are about four cross country events between now and mid-March so it is up to the athletes to prove that they deserve to be on the team,” Ernzen explained.
Some of the athletes contending for national team slots include Godfrey Rutayisire, Gervais Nizeyimana and Sylvain Rukundo.
Last year, Rwanda missed out on grounds of poor preparations.
The team flew to Addis Ababa only to be denied entry into UK, a connection route to Bydgoszcz, the venue for the championship.
11-time champion Kenenisa Bekele remains a doubt for this year’s edition following a calf injury.
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