RWANDA WILL send three athletes to participate at the 2nd Youth Olympic Games (YOG) this summer in Nanjing, China. Elia Manirarora, the national team’s Chef de Mission, told Times Sports, yesterday: “We got three wild cards in athletics, swimming and cycling disciplines to represent the country at the Games but the athletes are yet to be identified. They will be picked by the respective federations after the Gaborone Africa Youth Games in May. The Rwanda Olympic Committee’s vice president also stated that the national beach volleyball team might be given a slot in the games should they stage a good performance in the Zone III Africa Nations Cup Volleyball tournament due in Accra, Ghana, from July 22 to 29. Last week, Manirarora was part of the 104 Young Ambassadors, 197 Chefs de Mission representing the 204 National Olympic Committees (NOC) taking part in the Games, and the IOC Coordination Commission – who on their fifth and final visit – all deemed Nanjing ready to welcome the world’s top young athletes. With 137 days to the opening ceremony, the Nanjing Organising Committee (NYOGOC) gave an impressive overview to the NOC and IOC visitors of the final preparations and world-class sports facilities – all of which are close to completion. At the inaugural 2010 Youth Olympic Games held in Singapore, Rwanda was represented by four athletes, all returning without any medal. Potien Ntawuyirushintege finished eighth in the 3000m final clocking 8:14.59 while his counterpart Jacqueline Murekatete was disqualified in the 3000m girls category. In boxing, Matusi Haziza failed to go past the preliminary round, losing to Zohidjon Hoorboyev from Uzbekistan in the light flyweight (48kg) category. In swimming, Marie Claudine Iradukunda failed to progress past the preliminary round of the girls 50m freestyle event.
