Jean-Marie Vianney Nsengiyumva, the newly appointed head coach of women’s national sitting volleyball team, has named 12 players to start early preparations ahead of the 2021 Tokyo Paralympic Games. This year’s Paralympics is scheduled for August 24 to September 5 n Japan. Nsengiyumva, who took over the head coaching role from Egyptian Mossad Rashad last month, had been the team’s assistant coach for many years, including at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Speaking to Weekend Sport on Thursday, he revealed that the team has received the green-light to begin training, but it was delayed because most players live upcountry, and inter-province movements are banned. “Out of 12 players, only 4 live in Kigali. We are waiting for the cabinet meeting to lift off the movements between Kigali and other provinces so we can start training,” he said. He further added: “We will start with two training sessions a week until June before reporting to camp for intensive training in July.” It is expected that the team will play a number of friendly games in the Japanese city of Okinawa prior to the competition. Rwanda qualified for the Paralympic Games in women’s sitting volleyball, for a second consecutive time, in 2019 after beating Egypt in Kigali to retain the African Championship. Squad Claudine Bazubagira, Carine Kwizera, Liliane Mukobwankawe, Alice Musabyemariya, Sandrine Nyirambarushimana, Solange Nyiraneza, Agnès Nyiranshimiyimana, Claudine Murebwayire, Clementine Umutoni, Hosiana Mulisa, Chantal Mutuyimana and Louise Mugirwanake.
