Rwanda starts Zone V World championship preps next month

RWANDA men’s volleyball national team will start preparations for the Zone 5 World Championship Qualifiers on 15 October, ahead of the tournament slated for November 25 to December 1 in Kigali.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013
The national team which will battle for last round qualification spot during the Zone V world qualifiers in November. The New Times / Courtesy.

RWANDA men’s volleyball national team will start preparations for the Zone 5 World Championship Qualifiers on 15 October, ahead of the tournament slated for November 25 to December 1 in Kigali. The Zone V World Championships Qualifiers which will be hosted  by Rwanda has attracted countries like  Egypt, Kenya, Uganda and Burundi. The Rwanda Volleyball Federation chairman Gustave Nkurunziza told Times sport yesterday that the team will go into residential camp starting October, 15. a month and half before the tournament kicks off. " We want to have the national team prepared in the best way  possible such that they can stage a victorious tourney,” he said. The tournament was supposed to attract seven teams, the other two being Ethiopia and Sudan, but both pulled out at the last minute. According to the team  head coach, Paul Bitok, the team’s target is  to finish in top two so that they can qualifier for the last round. "We need to prepare well for this tournament and make a difference here in Rwanda since we will have an advantage of playing in our own backyard.” Two teams including Egypt, which has already qualified will go into the final round, which will see the top three teams qualify for the World championships. The International Volleyball Federation has guaranteed three places for Africa this year.