LOCAL athletes want thorough preparations if they are to challenge for honours on the world stage.

The call comes after another awful show in the just ended 39th IAAF World Cross Country Championship in Punta Umbria, Seville.

Gervais Hakizimana emerged as Rwanda’s best performer after finishing 33rd in the men’s 12km race. He clocked 35 minutes and 54 seconds, two minutes and four seconds behind new champion Imana marga from Ethiopia.

The country’s other representative Eric Sebahire finished a distant 72nd.

After the race, Hakizimana said, "I think I would have done a lot better had I reached Spain a few days earlier. We arrived late so there was little time to prepare and I could feel the fatigue as I ran,”

None the less, it was an improved performance from Hakizimana, who finished 42nd in 2009 (Amman) and 77th in 2007 (Mombasa).

In the women category, Claudette Mukasakindi and Angeline Nyiransabimana finished outside the top 30. Mukasakindi finished 83rd after clocking 28.33 while Nyiransabimana was nine spots further back after using 29minutes and 20 seconds.

Marga won gold after finishing two seconds ahead of Kenya’s Paul Kipngetich Tanui. Vincent Kiprop Chepkok (Kenya) was third.

Kenya successfully defended their title after winning three of four titles on offer.

The winners of the senior races received $30,000, with silver and bronze medalists pocketing $15,000 and $10,000 respectively.

Ends