The U-18 men’s national handball team has intensified preparations for the inaugural Africa Zone 4, 5 and 6 Championship which is scheduled for August 24-30 in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

The week-long tournament, organized by African Handball Confederation will attract all countries from the respective zones, and is set to be staged after every two years.

The Rwandan provisional 20-player squad is currently in residential training camp in Kigoma, Ruhango district, Southern Province, under the watchful eye of head coach Sylvestre Mudaharishema.

"We have an exceptionally talented group of players, and the fact that we started preparations early enough, gives us a good chance to do well in the tournament,” said Mudaharishema.

Meanwhile, former College of Education (KIE) head coach Francois-Xavier Ngarambe, has replaced APR’s Anaclet Bagirishya as the team’s assistant coach because the latter is currently taking charge of the RDF handball team competing in the ongoing EAC Military Games.

Rwanda is the only country so far from the Zone 5 that has confirmed participation in the continental youth championship which the team will be using to gain experience ahead of the 23rd Men’s Junior African Nations Championship from September 11-10 in Bamako, Mali.

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