Athletics body and MTN in talks over sponsorship

Rwanda Athletics Federation and Mobile telecommunications company MTN are in talks over the latter sponsoring a half marathon race later this year, according to the federation’s Secretary General Johnson Rukundo.The race is slated for September and will be for locals only before expanding it to attract regional and international athletes in the next years.“MTN requested us to partner with them in organising a half marathon race and if all goes well, then it will take place in September. The race will also help us select runners for the world half marathon race in Bulgaria in October.” Rukundo said yesterday.Meanwhile, six athletes that include Robert Kajuga, Claudette Mukasakindi, Cyriaque Ndayikengurukiye, and Emmanuel Ntakiyimana will represent Rwanda at the Senior African Athletics Championship in Porto-Nova, Benin scheduled for June 26 to July 1.Robert Kajuga and Claudette Mukasakindi will compete in the 10,000m while Cyriaque Ndayikengurukiye and Emmanuel Ntakiyimana will run in the 5000m and 400m races respectively.The runners are scheduled to travel to Nairobi-Kenya to prepare for the competition.So far only one athlete Jean Pierre Mvuyekure has qualified for the London 2012 Olympics games.The country will send a 42 man delegation to the London Games with representatives in the fields of cycling, athletics, swimming and taekwondo, while Paralympics will be represented in sitting volleyball, power lifting and athletics.

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Athletics body and MTN in talks over sponsorship