Win or die for Rwanda

BEIJING-Today is Rwanda’s final chance as far as winning that elusive Olympic medal is concerned when the two remaining participants, Dieudonne Disi and Epiphanie Nyirabarame tale to the field. Nyirabarame (women marathon) will be the first to take to the stage when she runs 42.125 km on the streets of Beijing at 7.30a.m (12.30.p.m Rwandan time). The women marathon will start at 7.30a.m and end at 10.30a.m (3.30p.m Rwandan time) at the national stadium commonly known as bird’s nest. Nyirabarame, who clocked 2:41:33 in her last training session, faces stiff competition from 46 athletes, among them is world marathon record holder Paula Radcliffe of Britain. Other top athletes expected to spice up the marathon race include Habtemariam Nebiat (Eritrea), Ethiopian trio of Wami Gete, Adere Berhane and Tune Dire, Kenyan pair of Komu Martha and Koshei Salinain. Nyirabarame will be aiming to finish in the medal bracket position or at least improve her personal best. She said, “I want to run and bring success to Rwanda by posting good results as well as earning a place in the medal brackets if possible,” “Every athlete is capable of winning the medal and I am among those athletes who can win one of three medals (gold, silver and bronze),” she emphasized. 10000m medal hopeful Disi will take to field at 22.45 (03.45 Rwandan time) at the national stadium. Disi has been clocking in ranges of 27:22:28 throughout this week’s training session. He said, “I been prepared well enough for tomorrow’s (today) race for the past two years, it’ll be a big disappointment if I fail to do well,” “I do believe that I have the capability of making a good performance just like my rivals because we have prepared well for this final,” Disi said. The men’s 10000m finals is expected to attract over 70 athletes from different countries including Uganda’s Boniface Kiprop, Kenya’s Martin Mathathi, Micah Kogo, Moses Masai, Kenenisa Bekele, Sileshi Sihine, Ibrahim Jeylan, Eritrea’s Zersenay Tadesse, Teklemariam and Kidane and 1996 USA as well as 2000 Sydney10000m gold medallist Haile Gebrselassie. Ethiopia’s rivals Bekele and Gebrselassie are favourites to win the event but they face still challenge from Kenya’s Masai who many analysts are tipping to take the day. Ends