Lengthy distance runner Clementine Mukandanga and bike owner Eric Manizabayo have been named flagbearers of Crew Rwanda on the glamourous opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Video games which formally kick off in Paris, France, on Friday, July 26 and run via Sunday, August 11.
The duo is a part of eight athletes–five girls and three men–representing Rwanda at Paris 2024 Olympics.
Mukandanga is the one Rwandan athlete within the Olympic Crew who certified for the Paris 2024 Video games. She achieved the required “Minima” time of two:26:50 on the 39 Firenze Marathon in December 2023 with a time of two:25:54, the fourth quickest within the occasion’s historical past and a private finest, bettering on her earlier document set in Florence in 2022.
She’s going to compete within the full marathon slated for August 11 at Hôtel de Ville and Les Invalides.
On the age of 38, she is the oldest within the Rwanda Olympic Crew.
In the meantime, Manizabayo made it to Paris on a wildcard. He’s one among three cyclists within the Rwandan Olympic workforce for Paris alongside Djazilla Mwamikazi and Diane Ingabire.
Manizabayo, who’s making his debut on the Olympic Video games, will compete on August 3 within the Street Race which can happen at Pont d’ Iéna.
Total, moreover Mukandanga and Manizabayo, the opposite athletes representing Rwanda on the 2024 Olympic Video games in Paris embrace girls cyclists Diane Ingabire and Djazilla Mwamikazi, athletics star Yves Nimubona, swimmers Peyre Mitilla Oscar Cyusa and Lidwine Umuhoza Uwase and fencer Tufaha Uwihoreye.
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ALSO READ: Meet athletes representing Rwanda at Paris 2024 Video games
A ceremony outdoors a stadium
For the primary time within the historical past of the Olympic Summer season Video games, the opening ceremony won’t happen in a stadium. Paris 2024 is breaking new floor by bringing sports activities into town and the identical can be true of the opening ceremony, set to be held within the coronary heart of town alongside its foremost artery: The Seine.
Taking up a brand new guise, the parade of athletes can be held on the Seine river with boats for every nationwide delegation.
These boats can be geared up with cameras to permit tv and on-line viewers to see the athletes up shut. Winding their manner from east to west, the ten,500 athletes will cross via the centre of Paris, the general enjoying area for the Video games on which these rivals will show their sporting prowess over the following 16 days.
The parade will come to the top of its 6-kilometre route in entrance of the Trocadéro, the place the remaining parts of Olympic protocol and ultimate exhibits will happen.