Athletics: Muhitira joins Italian club Potenza Picena

Rwanda’s long distance runner Felicien ‘Magare’ Muhitira is set to join Italian club Potenza Picena, which is based in the central city of Siena. He will fly to Italy on Saturday and is expected to sign an initial one-year contract. The 21-year-old has been affiliated to Kigali-based Mountain Classic athletics club. Through his Italian manager Enerico Dionise, Muhitira reached an agreement with Potenza Picena in December 2015 but could not join the club due to delays in getting a visa and other paperwork. “Now, everything is done and I will be flying to my new club on Saturday. I am going to give it my best shot, my dream is to sign a long-term deal,” Muhitira told Times Sport on Tuesday. The 2015 inaugural Heforshe marathon champion becomes the second Rwandan athlete to sign for an Italian club after female full marathon runner Claudette Mukasakindi, who will carry the national flag at the 2016 Olympic Games set for August 5-21 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. “It is four years since I began running, and I am sure this will be a stepping stone to realizing my dream to become a top athlete for my country,” Muhitira further noted. Born in Gashora sector, Bugesera District on November 4, 1994, Muhitira began his career in 2013 at Nyamasheke athletics club before joining Mountain Classic last year. In 2014, he made his international debut at the IAAF world half marathon championship in Denmark, finishing 41st out of 300 athletes. In that same year, he competed in the 10,000m at the Common Wealth Games in Glasgow, United Kingdom to finish 9th. Last year, he competed at the World Cross Country Championships in Beijing, China, finishing 34th in the 12km before competing again in the 2015 IAAF World Athletics Championships also hosted in Beijing, finishing 13th in the 5000m. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Athletics: Muhitira joins Italian club Potenza Picena