Four Rwandan Athletes will participate in the Africa Athletics Confederation (AAC) Permit Athletics Grand Prix set for tomorrow at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole in Kampala, Uganda.

The athletes who include Slyvain Rukundo (5000m),Claudette Mukasakindi(5000m),Musa Bizimana(400m) and Epiphanie Uwintije(400m) will be accompanied by national team coach Innocent Rwabuhihi.

According to Rwabuhihi, "The four athletes were chosen to represent the country as away of preparing for the Beijing Games minimum qualification standards.”

Rwabuhihi further added that the best athletes in this grand prix will have a chance of participating in a yet to be known European championship designed to enable local athletes attain the minimum qualification standards for this year’s Olympic Games due in China from August 8-24. Meanwhile, athletes from six African countries have been lined up to participate in the Kampala grand prix.

Sudanese Fayza Omar, Nadir Abdelraman, Waad Elkarim Maki, Ehsan Gibril and Alawia Maki together with Libyans Mohamed Musbah and Abubaker Gatruni have already arrived for the grand prix. Other foreigner athletes expected in the event are from Kenya, Tanzania, and Burundi.

Ethiopians and Nigerians are expected in Kampala today. The local sprinters, who will for the first time compete in an event with electronic timers, will be bidding to post better times in order to qualify for the August Beijing Olympic Games.

Justine Bayigga will lead Uganda’s team of 42 to the permit meet. The Kampala Pan Africa meet will feature runners who have been participating in the regional AAC Grand Prix circuit that kicked off in Khartoum, Sudan last month followed by the recently concluded leg in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

After the Namboole showdown, athletes will head to Nairobi, Kenya in a continuation of the money prize circuit. 
Ugandans Justine Bayigga, Mildred Gamba (200/400m), Waisswa Lukungu (400m) and Jimmy Adar (800m), who have participated in the past two legs, will be hoping to shine on home ground.

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