Trio off to South Africa for Senior Championships

The athletics trio of Salome Nyirarukundo, Beatha Nishimwe and Clementine Mukandanga today morning (2:30am) jetted off to the eastern coastal City of South Africa, Durban aboard Ethiopian airways ahead of this year’s Africa Athletics Senior Championship slated for June 22-26. After two months of intensive training, the trio is accompanied by national team head coach Anicet Kanyabugoyi and Rwanda Athletics Federation technical director, Jean Paul Munyamudamutsa as head of delegation. The three will be making their debut appearance at the 20th edition of the biennial event, seeking to get minima time to compete at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, scheduled for August 5-21 in Brazil. “We have had excellent preparations and each of the athletes is in a best possible physical and psychological condition, our only target is to qualify for the Rio Olympic Games,” said Kanyabugoyi in an interview with Sunday Sport. The 19-year-old Nyirarukundo, fresh from finishing second in the women half marathon in this year’s Kigali International Peace Marathon last month, will compete in the 5000m and 10,000m. To qualify for Rio, she needs to run below 15 minutes and 20 seconds in the 5,000m and 32 minutes and 15 seconds in 10,000m. Nishimwe, 18, will be seeking qualification in the 1500m, vying to make a minimum required time of four minutes and six seconds while 30-year old Mukandanga will also compete in the 10,000m. Kanyabugoyi noted that: “With the 10,000m race, Nyirarukundo and Mukandanga have been using good time in training and I think if we find a conducive climate in Durban, we have a good chance to qualify.” This is the first time for Rwandan athletes to compete at the continents biggest show piece after attaining qualifications, previously Rwanda has been sending athletes on Invitation. Rwanda has already booked three athletic tickets for the Olympic Games in the full marathon—the qualified athletes include; Jean-Baptiste Simukeka and Claudette Mukasakindi currently training in Iten, Kenya as well as Netherland-based Ambroise Uwiragiy, who will join the duo in Iten later this month. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Trio off to South Africa for Senior Championships