Rwanda Cycling Union has registered to take part in this year’s African Continental Championship which will take place from November 8-11 in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Eight nations have already confirmed to take part in the 2007 African Continental Championships (season 2007 – 2008).They are South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mauritius, Sierra Leone, Benin and Guinea and Rwanda but confirmations are awaited before the end of next month. The Rwanda Cycling Union president Charles Kamanda told Times Sport on Thursday that RCU has started preparations with the aim to qualify for the next year’s Beijing Olympic Games. “The continental championship in Yaoundé is the only remaining qualifying round for the Beijing Games and so we have stepped up our preparations to ensure that our team qualifies, he said. He, however, noted that his body is struggling to get enough funds to facilitate adequate preparations for the team. The continental championship in Yaoundé is the last chance African cyclists including Rwandans to book a place at the next Olympic Games. The Rwandan team failed to qualify for the Games after finishing 12th among 16 African countries that took part in the UCI B World Championship held in Cape Town from June 26- July 1. Cycling is among the five disciplines in which Rwanda is expected to be represented at the Beijing Games. Other disciplines include boxing, swimming, athletics and Paralympics. The country’s top cyclists, Abraham Ruhumuriza, Adrien Niyonshuti, Jean de Dieu Uwimana, Nyandwi Uwase and Nathan Byukusenge are under intensive training in Southern. Ends
