Saturday results

APR 32-26 Nyakabanda

UR CE 38-31 ES Urumuri

Police 30-15 ES Kigoma

After finishing the first round of the national handball league unbeaten and five points clear on top of the league table, defending champions Police have turned their focus on the upcoming Genocide memorial tournament scheduled for June 4-5 in Kigali.

The first round concluded last weekend with the four-time winners comfortably on the summit with 27 points and a goal difference of 200 in nine games while their close contenders APR which still have a game to play have 22 points and a goal difference of 59 followed by Inyeramihigo 19 points and Ecole Secondaire Kigoma 18 points in the third and fourth positions respectively.

"I am happy and thankful to my players, they played this first phase with sheer determination and a strong winning mentality and I hope this will keep on even in the second round,” said head coach Antoinne Ntabanganyimana

He further noted that, "Our focus now is this year’s memorial tournament and by next week we shall begin intensive preparations because it is an international competition and we want to amend last year’s disappointment.”

The second round is expected to kick off immediately after this memorial competition.

Last year, APR overcame Ngome Handball Club of Tanzania which had eliminated Police in the semi-finals 26-

22 to win the men’s title, while APPEGA Gahengeri won the women’s title after defeating University of Rwanda’s College of Education 15-2 in the title decider.

According to the organisers, this year’s event is expected to attract teams from eight regional countries which include Zambia, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi and DR Congo.