Myasiro breaks 10,000m record

Rwanda national athletics junior team in the ongoing IAAF World Junior Athletics Championships failed to hit their set target as three of their athletes did not make the podium on the first day. The 2016 IAAF World Junior Athletics Championships begun on July 19 and will run through July 24 at Zawisza Stadium in Bydgoszcz, Poland. James Sugia, Honorine Iribagiza and Jean Marie Vianney Myasiro were the first athletes on track on Tuesday. However, none managed to finish in medal-winning positions. But, the positive news from Poland is the fact that 19-year old Myasiro managed to break a 12-year national record in 10,000m. The youngster clocked 29:26:16 to finish in the 11th place out of the 34 athletes, hence breaking the record of 29:35:41 that was set by Valence Bivahagumye in 2004 in Italy in a similar event. Bivahagumye was also 19 years old then. Kenya’s Rogers Kwemoi won gold after using 27:25:23 and was followed by Eritrean Aaron Kifle, who clocked 27:26:20 while Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo won the bronze medal after clocking 27:2668. Rwanda’s hopes for silverware remain in Salome Nyirarukundo and Beatha Nishimwe, who will compete on Friday. The 19-year old Nyirarukundo, who will compete in the girls’ 5,000m, is fresh from booking her ticket for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (women’s 10,000m) while 18-year-old Nishimwe will contest in the 1500m race. Meanwhile, Sugira, 19, clocked 3:51:32 in the 1500m heat and failed to make the top three to qualify for the semi-finals after finishing in ninth place, while Iribagiza clocked 2:12:30 in the 800m heat, finishing sixth. Only the top four qualified to the next round. Bad weather The Rwanda Athletics Federation (RAF) secretary general, Johnson Rukundo, who is the head of the delegation to Poland, said that cold weather in Poland posed significant challenge to the athletes. “The weather here is so very cold, it really affected our athletes, but we are going to change the tactics for the two athletes who will compete on Friday,” said Rukundo. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Myasiro breaks 10,000m record