The local athletics body (RAF) has added seven athletes to the national squad which will take part in the 16th edition of the African senior athletics championship set for April 30-May 5 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

RAF reached the decision after the National Olympics Committee (RNOC) accepted to sponsor the added athletes.

The federation secretary general, Appolinaire Munyangoga said on Monday that the boost from Olympic Committee is timely.

"We have selected the athletes who will train in Kigali before departing for Ethiopia on Sunday," Munyangoga said.

RNOC president Ignace Beraho told Times Sport that main objective of accepting to sponsor the extra athletes was to give as many athletes as possible a chance to qualify for Beijing Games.

"We want to have a big squad at the African Championship, which would in turn increase our chances of qualifying more athletes for the Olympics Games.

"If the select athletes are good, then we shall have higher chances of having many of them beat the minimum qualification standard for Beijing Games," Beraho said.

The seven athletes who have been named include; Islam Mulinda (100m & 200m) Claudette Mukasakindi (10.000m), Joseph Nzirorerwa (800m), Godfrey Rutayisire (1500m), Emmanuel Ntakiyimana, Innocent Hakuzimana and Etienne Gashagaza who will make a 4*400m relay team along with Musa Bizimana who had been previously selected on the initial six man squad which is undergoing training in Ethiopia.

The extra seven athletes are expected to cost the National Olympic Committee Frw3.7 million to cater for their air tickets and allowances.

The initial six-man team is currently training in Ethiopia courtesy the Confederation of African Ministries of Youth and Sport. The team includes; Sylvain Rukundo(10000m), Cyriaque Ndayikengurikiye (5000m), Musa Bizimana (400m), Jean d’Arc Uwamahoro (800m), Sophia Kanakuze (200m) Angelline Nyiransabimana (10000m) and head coach Emmanuel Habiyambere.

Rwanda has only two athletes who have beaten the qualification standards for Beijing Games and they include Dieudonne Disi (10000m) and Epiphanie Nyirabarame (women full marathon).

Rwanda never won any silverware at the 2006 African Championships held in Bambous and Port Louis in Mauritius.

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