The national athletics junior team head coach Anicet Kanyabugoyi has challenged his players to aim for a podium finish at the forthcoming IAAF World Junior Athletics Championships, set for July 19 - 24 in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

The team, which comprises three girls and two boys, started a two-week non-residential training camp at Amahoro national stadium on Tuesday.

The five will be making their debut at the six-day biennial international event that attracts athletes aged between 16 and 19 years.

The five include; Salome Nyirarukundo, who is fresh from booking her ticket to compete at the Rio 2016 Olympics in the women’s 10,000m. The 19-year-old qualified at the just concluded Africa Senior Athletics Championship in Durban, South Africa. She will be vying for honors in the 5000m.

The other girls include 18-year-old Beatha Nishimwe, who will compete in the 1500m race, and 17-year-old Honorine Iribagiza, who will feature in the 800m race.

In the boys’ category, Rwanda will be represented by Jean Marie Vianney Myasiro and James Sugira, both 19, and will compete in the 10,000m and 1500m race, respectively.

"We have actually moved from being participants to serious contenders at each competition we take part in. All the five will be making their first appearance at this event but we want to make a memorable debut,” said Kanyabugoyi.

Nyirarukundo, Nishimwe and Myasiro qualified for the world meet in March, during the national junior trials, conducted by Rwanda Athletics Federation (RAF) while Iribagiza and Sugira earned their tickets at the East African Junior Athletics Championships in Dar-es-salaam, Tanzania, in May.

This is the biggest number of qualified athletes the country has ever entered for an international competition, and the first time Rwandan athletes are competing in the World Championships after going through trials as they have previously been participating through invitation.

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