Rwanda National Olympic Committee (RNOC) has set April next year as the deadline for all sporting disciplines to submit names of their athletes, who will represent the country at the London Games set for July 27-August 12, 2012.

The London Games Chief de Mission Serge Mwambali confirmed the development on Wednesday. He said, "We have until April for all federations to submit names of their qualified athletes.”

"Thereafter, we will also make our final submission (Rwandan athletes) for London Games to organizers the following month (May),” Mwambali noted.

Adrien Niyonshuti became the first Rwandan athlete to qualify for next year's Olympic Games in London after impressing in a UCI Africa Continental Cross Country Mountain Bike Championship in Jonkershoek, Cape Town early this year.

However, Mwambali is optimistic that Rwanda may qualify a few more athletes in both Taekwondo and athletics before the deadline.

Taekwondo will send their athletes to a qualifying tournament in Dubai next month, while the duo of Slyvain Rukundo and Epiphanie Nyirabarame are set to compete in Dubai marathon, also set for next month in bid to snatch minimum qualification requirements.

"We are hopeful that these athletes can qualify in January to enable Rwanda have a big team in LOndon,” the official stated in an interview with Times Sport.

Besides Olympic Games, Rwanda will send a 13-man team to the Paralympic Games scheduled for August 29-September 9.

The 13-man team comprises of 11-sitting volleyball team, Hermas Cliff Muvunyi in athletics (400m & 800m) and Theoneste Hakizimana in powerlifting.
bonnie.mugabe@newtimes.co.rw