After winning the AFN/GLO Lagos International half marathon last Sunday, Dieudonne Disi has embarked on preparations for a similar race in Ivory Coast on December 22.

The 27-year-old who has already started training at Amahoro stadium told Times Sport that he has no plans to rest despite advice from some experts that he should if he need to keep his fitness ahead of next year’s Olympic Games due in Beijing, China.

"I really don’t have any rest until the end of this month because after Nigeria race, my next focus is on the Ivory Coast race.

"I will take part in a similar road race in Brazil on December 31. I would have opted for a rest but I must lead my country in the Ivory Coast race,” Disi admitted.

The former APR athletics club star has his focus on winning the remaining international half marathon races including the one in Ivory Coast and Brazil at the turn of the year. In Ivory Coast, Disi will compete alongside countrymen Sylvain Rukundo, Felix Ntirenganya and Gervais Hakizimana.

The trio of Rukundo, Ntirenganya and Hakizimana will be making this outing so as to try to attain the minimum qualifications for next year’s Olympic Games.

Disi has won two half marathon races in a period of two months; Delhi Half marathon and AFN/GLO Lagos half marathon races respectively.

He is also the first Rwandan athlete to qualify for next year’s Olympic Games with his time of 27:22:23 in 10.000m at the Memorial Van Damme race held in Belgium, which also helped him surpass the minimum required standard ‘A’ time (for the Games) 27:50.00.

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