Rwandas 10000m champion Dieudonne Disi started poorly to the Beijing Olympic Games preparations finishing fifth in the 32nd edition of the 12km Lilac Bloomsday Run in Washington, USA over the weekend. Disi clocked 34 minutes and 35 second, finishing behind Kenya’s Micah Kogo who won the race in 33 minutes 51 seconds, Morocco’s Ridouane Harroufi and Kenyan duo of John Korir and Macdonald Ondara. Disi took part in the competition as part of his preparations for the Olympic Games set for August 8-24 in Beijing, China. Disi is expected to finalize his preparation campaign with the Ablaham RSA 10 km race set for May 27 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Currently, Disi (10000m) and Epiphanie Nyirabarame (marathon) are the only athletes who have qualified for the Games. The total number of Rwandan athletes expected to participate in the Beijing Games stands at just five, including the two runners, two swimmers and one in Paralympics. Rwanda’s chances of taking a considerable team for the Olympics were dealt a major blow after boxers and athletes failed to make it at the last qualifying event in Windhoek, Namibia and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and cyclists were denied a wildcard in March. Ends
