Hakizimana falls short of London mark in Pézenas

RWANDA’s national steeplechase champion Gervais Hakizimana fell short of the Olympic mark despite winning the Meeting de Pezenas in France on May 26.

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Meeting de Pezenas3000m Steeple chase resultsGervais Hakizimana (Rwa) 8:39:27Romain Collenot-Spriet 8:40:48Bedrani Djilali (Fra) 8:42:67Gosse David (Fra) 8:58:49RWANDA’s national steeplechase champion Gervais Hakizimana fell short of the Olympic mark despite winning the Meeting de Pezenas in France on May 26.Hakizimana clocked 8:39:27 to win gold in this year’s edition but his time could not guarantee him a place in the summer Olympic Games. His time was short of the official minimum standard B time of 08:32.0 needed for London.Despite losing out of the spot, Hakizimana is yet to hang up his search for the minimum qualification."I have not lost hope, I want to try my final luck with one more race (yet to be known) in France due in June and if I fail, then I will call it quits for London games,” added Hakizimana.Apart from two IOC (International Olympic Committee) swimming wildcards given to Alphonsine Agahozo (50m) and Jackson Niyomugabo (50m free-style), Jean Pierre Mvuyekure (full marathon) and professional cyclist Adrien Niyonshuti are the only athletes guaranteed a ticket to London.With 57 days left, eight athletes are still grappling to qualify. Among them are two-time Olympian Epiphanie Nyirabarame, Robert Kajuga, Felix Ntirenganya (full marathon), Mukasakindi, Gervais Hakizimana, Sylvain Rukundo (10,000m) and Rwanda’s most celebrated athlete Dieudonné Disi, who was recently forced out of retirement.