BEIJING - Rwanda’s Olympic team arrived at Beijing Olympic Village on Tuesday night ahead of the opening ceremony of this year’s Summer Games set to get underway tomorrow. The Rwandan delegation was welcomed at Beijing international airport by Rwanda’s ambassador to China, Ben Rugangazi and Chef de Mission Thierry Ntwali at 20hrs (2pm local time) after a grueling 20-hour journey from Kigali on Monday afternoon aboard Ethiopian Airways. Despite the excessive heat here in Beijing, the Athletes are determined to give their best as they seek to win the first Olympic medal for the country. The atmosphere in the Rwandan camp at the Games has been boosted by the arrival of East African countries. Rwanda was the last East African country to arrive at the village and shares an apartment with Eritrea and DR Congo among others. Rwanda’s squad to this year’s event will be composed of Dieudonne Disi (10.000m), Epiphanie Nyirabarame (marathon), Pamela Girimbabazi and Jackson Niyomugabo (swimming). 10,500 athletes are expected to compete in 302 events in 28 sports; just one event more than was on the menu in Athens in 2004. Meanwhile, Rwanda’s medal hopeful at the Games Dieudonne Disi who is training in France is expected to link up with the rest of the squad in China on August 10, which means that he will miss out on tomorrow’s grand opening ceremony. The other members on the team; Beatrice Uwanyirigira and Jean Claude Mushambo joined the International Olympic academy on their arrival at Beijing international airport. The pair was selected by the National Sport Schools Federation to join the International Olympic Academy which is a multicultural inter disciplinary centre whose objective is to study and promote the spirit of Olympism. Ends
