Team Rwanda eye more medals at continental championships

ThursdayElite women Individual Time Trial 9amElite Men Individual Time Trial 11am TuesdayElite Men & U23 Team Time TrailEritrea 1h:08’:42”Algeria 1h:10’:36”Rwanda 1h:12’:27” Ethiopia 1h:12’:36”Egypt 1h:12’:43”Burkina Faso 1h:17’:57”Seychelles 1h:18:00” After claiming their first ever team title (bronze) in the men’s Team Time Trial (TTT) on Tuesday, the national team head coach Sterling Magnell is optimistic his riders will land more medals at the ongoing African Continental Championships in Luxor; Egypt. Team Rwanda made a flying start to this year’s campaign with the quartet of Valens Ndayisenga, Jean Bosco Nsengimana, Samuel Mugisha and Joseph Areruya winning a bronze medal in the Team Time Trial on Tuesday. The quartet claimed this historic medal after posting one hour, 12 minutes and twenty-seven seconds settling for a third place behind gold winners Eritrea that covered the 57.8 kilometers in 1h:08’:42 while Algeria claimed a silver medal after finishing second clocking 1h:10’:36”. This was Rwanda’s first ever team medal at this annual event and the second in local cycling history after the 2015 bronze at the All African Games in road race. Despite a very unfortunate start by the local riders, according to reports from Egypt that included misdirection where the police is alleged to have guided the riders into a wrong course before some crushing along the race, the quartet displayed a spectacular performance hence claiming a podium finish. “I am very proud of the boys, they were superb and I believe we will see more medals this week,” said Magnel in a phone interview with Times Sport. The experienced Eritrean quartet of Abraham Meron, Gebreigzabhier Amanuel, Habtom Awet, Teshome Meron successfully defended their title as well as Algeria settled for a silver medal for the second time in a row. The Algerian team comprised of Lagab Azzedine, Belmokhtar Abdelkader, Mansouri Abderrahmane and Benyoucef Abdallah. Ethiopia (1h:12’:36”), hosts Egypt (1h:12’:43”), Burkina Faso (1h:17’:57”) and Seychelles 1h:18:00” settled for the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh places respectively. Meanwhile tomorrow, Team Rwanda has a chance to add on their first medal as the only female rider on the team and 2016 silver medalist in ITT Jean d’ Arc Girubuntu hits the road in the elite women ITT. In the men’s category, defending champion Valens Ndayisenga and Joseph Areruya will compete in the men’s ITT. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Team Rwanda eye more medals at continental championships