Saturday, August 1, 2009
Diudone Disi Raring to Go in Berlin
ALL AFRICA REPORTS Disi is hurting to end his recent demise on the track when he competes in this year's World Athletics Championships in Berlin, Germany.
The event scheduled for August 15-24 will attract some of the world's elite athletes like marathon world record holder Haile Gebrselassie and Kenya's Duncan Kibet. However, Disi is not about to let that distract him as he tries to rediscover the form that once made him one of the top athletes in the region.
Disi, who turns 29 in November will compete in his maiden full marathon at the top level after switching from the 10000m category where he finished 19th at last year's Olympic Games in Beijing.
Over the next two weeks, he intends to continue his preparations in the hilly areas of Spain and France. "I need to be in the best shape possible for the championship. I have not been in the best of form this year but I know that I can still rediscover it," Disi said.
The National Olympics Committee (RNOC) has boosted Disi's preparations after offering to fund his training camp. In 2007, Disi missed out on the championships which were staged in Osaka, Japan after failing to beat the qualification time.
In Berlin, Rwanda will have two representatives in Disi and Epiphanie Nyirabarame. Nyirabarame, who touched down in Germany last evening will have a two-week training camp as part of her final build-up to the championship.
The two-time Olympian qualified for the championship at the first time of asking.
Nyirabarame finished 66th in the women full marathon in Beijing