Dieudonne Disi will be the sole national flag bearer in today’s Vodafone half marathon race in New Delhi, India.

The country’s leading long distance runner, through an e-mail to Times Sport on Thursday confirmed his participation in today’s race whose winner walks away with $150,000 (about Frw81.750.000) as top prize.

"Having already attained the Olympic qualification mark recently, I want to take advantage of all the remaining races this year as I test myself before next year’s Games due in Beijing, China.

"I will be battling against the region’s best athletes in the likes of Kenya’s Francis Kibiwott, John Korir, Ethiopian Tariku Jifar and Tanzanian Martin Sulle and it is going to be a tough challenge,” Disi admitted. 

The 10.000m and half marathon national record holder noted that this event remains one of the top Iaaf-sanctioned championships this year and hopes to uses it as he aims to improve his personal best time.  His current half-marathon best time is 59:32, a record set during last month’s World Road Running Championship in Udine, Italy.

He finished fourth in the half-marathon race during the All Africa Games held in Algiers, Algeria last July.

The 27-year old also finished second at the 30th edition of the Versaille road running race in Paris, France early this month.
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