THE Deputy High Commissioner for Rwanda has spoken of the warm welcome the country’s Olympic team has received in Bury St Edmunds.

Four Rwandan Olympic hopefuls are now training in the town ahead of the Games after arriving in the UK on Friday.

Alphonsine Agahozo is competing in the 50m freestyle swimming, Jean Pierre Mvuyekure in the marathon, Fred Yannick Uwase Sekamana in judo and Robert Kajuga in the 10,000m.

They are training at Bury St Edmunds Leisure Centre, which will stay open for business as usual as the athletes want to train as part of the community.

Yesterday, there was a civic reception for the team at the Athenaeum in the town.

Deputy High Commissioner for Rwanda, Linda Kalimba, told the gathering: “We Rwandans feel very at home. We really think you shouldn’t endeavour to do much more. You have beautiful souls. You exude them and we feel that love.”

Gifts were exchanged between the Rwandans and representatives from the Bury community.

Councillor Colin Noble, cabinet member for the Olympics at Suffolk County Council, said: “We will be following your performance with great interest and will certainly be rooting for you, after Team GB [Great Britain] that is.” While the athletes are in the town they will be attending a number of community events.