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Rwanda: Disi Starts Beijing Games Preps
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The New Times (Kigali)
24 April 2008
Posted to the web 25 April 2008
Bonnie Mugabe
Kigali
Dieudonné Disi is set to compete in the USA as part of his preparations for the Olympic Games set for August 8-24 in Beijing, China.
Through an e-mail to Times Sport yesterday, Disi confirmed that he is going to compete in the USA Lilac Blooms day 12km race due in Washington district on May 4 as well as the Ablaham RSA 10 km race set for may 27 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
"I'm trying anything and everything possible to make sure am in the right shape for the Beijing Olympic.
"These races are one of the several races that I will take part in from May until July. They will help me in shaping up for the Olympics, "Disi said.
Currently, Dieudonne Disi (10.000m) 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.
But a team of 13 athletes (seven sponsored by RNOC and six by the local athletics federation) search for Beijing slots in this year's edition of the African senior athletics championships set for April 30-May 5 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Participating countries, Rwanda inclusive, will be using the event to qualify more athletes for the Olympic Games.
Rwanda's chances of taking a considerable team for the Olympics were dealt a major blow after boxers failed to make it at the last qualifying event in Windhoek, Namibia and cyclists were denied a wildcard in March.
Rwanda is also set to be represented by two other disciplines at the forthcoming Beijing games which include; Swimming, and Paralympics.
The National Paralympics Committee also has the chance to have more athletes qualify for the Beijing Paralympics Games at the World Paralympics Championship in Manchester City of United Kingdom in June.
Elmas Muvunyi (100m & 200m), Jean de Dieu Nkundabera (1500m) and Lysha Kwizera are the athletes likely to take part in the Manchester Paralympics championship in June hoping to secure their places on the Paralympics squad.
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2004 Athens Paralympics bronze medalist, Nkundabera qualified for the Beijing Games in 800m during last year's All Africa Games in Algeria but wants to secure a slot in the 1500m.
In Swimming, Pamela Ngirimbabazi will take part both 100m breast stroke but she is set to try out on the 50 m free stroke.
Ngirimbabazi is one of the experienced female swimmers in the country after she took part in the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games which held in both Sydney and Athens respectively.
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