Rwanda’s chances of taking a considerable team for the Olympics have been dealt a major blow after national athletes failed to make it at the just concluded 16th edition of the African athletics Championship in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia over the weekend.

Rwanda’s hopes rested on the shoulders Godfrey Rutayisire(1500m) and Slyvain Rukundo but their poor display in the final stages swept away the country’s hopes of raising a big squad to the Beijing Games set for August 8-24 in China.

Rutayisire finished tenth in the 1500m final on Sunday, clocking 3:54:02 behind Kenyan duo of Hein Keitany and Godfrey Gathimba and South African John Deventer who clinched medals for their respective countries.

In 5000m, Rukundo clocked 14:32:77 finishing ninth in the finals which were won by Ethiopia’s Olympic and triple world 10000m champion Kenenisa Bekele.

Rukundo was required to clock 13:28.00 while Rutayisire needed to clock 3:39.00 so as to enable their participation in the Olympic Games.

For starters, Islam Mulinda(100m&200m), Sophie Kanakuze(100m), Jean d’Arc Uwamahoro(800m), Joseph Nzirorera(800m),Angelline Nyiransabimana, Innocent Hakuzimana,Claudette Musakindi(10000m), Cyriaque Ndayikengurikiye(10000), Musa Bizimana(400m), Etienne Bizimana(10000m) and  4*400m relay team of Etienne Gashagaza, Musa Bizimana, Innocent Hakuzimana and Emmanuel Ntakiyimana failed to beat minimum qualification standards for Beijing Games in their respective events.

Athletics follows boxing and cycling in the exit chamber of this year’s Olympic Games. Boxers failed to make it at the last qualifying event in Windhoek, Namibia while cyclists were denied a wildcard in March.

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