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Muvunyi won Rwanda's first gold medal at the IPC World Championship in Nice, France, in 2013
Hermas Cliff Muvunyi won a gold medal in the 1500mT-46 category during the Berlin Open Grand Prix that concluded on Sunday evening in Germany.
The highly rated star who had earlier claimed a silver medal in the 400m after finishing second again did what he does best in 1500m race clocking four minutes and 14 seconds to claim a gold medal and his second medal of the day.
The APR athletic club athlete was using the competition to enhance his preparations for the 2016 Paralympic Games, slated for September 7-18 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In Rio, he will compete in both 400m and 1500m T-46 categories.
The former World champion has had a successful season, winning two medals at the 10th IPC Grand Prix de Tunis earlier in March with a gold in 400m and bronze in 1500m, both in T46 category and will now shift focus to the summer Paralympic Games.
Muvunyi was with 25-year old Jean Claude Ndayisenga who came short of qualifying for the Paralympics.
Ndayisenga, competing in the men’s 400m-T47 category, finished third clocking 55 seconds and 47 microseconds to claim a bronze medal, but missed out on the Olympic Qualification Time (OQT), also known as minima A, which is currently set at 50 seconds and 30 microseconds.
The two-day tournament had attracted top athletes from 51 countries to get a taste of what they can expect during the Rio Paralympics Games. Rwanda women sitting volleyball team will represent the African continent in Rio.
