Rwanda U20 handball team coach Antoine Ntabanganyimana has summoned a provisional 18-player squad for residential camp, starting today, in Huye district to prepare for this year’s IHF Continental Phase – Africa tournament scheduled for August 1-5 in Dakar, Senegal.

Rwanda qualified for the continental competition last December in Uganda. The team starts intensive preparations on Sunday morning, having two training sessions daily under the guidance of Ntabanganyimana, assisted by Anaclet Bagirishya and goalkeepers coach, Alberto Unjima.

This one-week tournament, which Rwanda is participating in for the first time, was initially supposed to take place in March then it was moved to May but the Confederation of African Handball struggled to have a host country it until Senegal stepped in.

In an interview with Sunday Sport, Ntabanganyimana said he has been closely following each of the players and is confident in the team as a whole.

"All the players are young, energetic and experienced because they all play in the national league. I have been closely following each of them this season. They are all impressive,” he stated.

The squad is dominated by the league champions APR handball club with seven players and Police, who have in four.

Players in camp:

Samuel Bananimana (APR), Jean Claude Hakizimana (ES Kigoma), Credo Bruno Sengoga (Saint Aloys), Zacharie Tuyishime (Police), Elysee Muhumure (Inyemeramihigo), Guido Urangwanimpuhwe (ADEGI), Jean Paul Muhawenayo (APR), Alexis Nshimiyimana (APR), Samuel Mbesutunguwe (ES Kigoma) and APR’s Viateur Rwamanywa

Others are; Yannick Karenzi of APR, ADEGI’s Thierry Hakizimana, Yves Umuhire (Police), Emmanuel Murwanashyaka (APR), Maliyamungu Nshumbusho (Saint Aloys), Shaffy Niyonkuru (APR) and Police handball club’s duo of Yves Kayijamahe and Fidele Hagenimana.

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