Rwanda women Handball team coach Anaclet Bagirishya is all smiles to see his team return home with silverware after a successful Zone 5 Women’s Handball campaign in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Rwanda’s girls were crowned champions of the just-concluded tournament after beating Burundi 32-13 in the final held Sunday, April 30, at Benjamin Mkapa Indoor Stadium. “Our first target was to win every game which was ahead of us and we have achieved it, I am happy for the win. We won all matches and we are delighted to be back home with a trophy after all. I think we played better handball,” Bagirishya said. “We set ourselves targets ahead of the competition, which we have managed to achieve. I can’t hide my satisfaction with the way we are going about our business and I am happy with the way my players responded to my tactics during the whole tournament,” he added. Bagirishya’s team finished the week long handball tournament unbeaten. They won all their Group A matches against Djibouti and South Sudan and host nation Tanzania to finish at the top of the group table and set a semifinal date with Ethiopia. The team ran riot with a convincing 47-6 victory over Ethiopia in the semifinals and progressed to the final which they won after beating Burundi 32-13. Besides winning the championship, 17-year-old Noelle Twizerimana was named the tournament top scorer with over 30 goals which were crucial in helping the country win the Zone 5 title. “I made my country proud. But we are not done yet. I have to work hard and share my skills with others. My dream is to be a good student who succeeds in class but also an extraordinary player,” she said. With the Zion 5 triumph, Rwanda qualified for the Continental Phase of the Women's IHF Trophy Africa which brings together teams representing different regions. “We wish and we hope that we will do even better at the continental level and fight to defend our colors,” Bagirishya said. It is from the continental tournament that the team will secure qualification to represent Africa in the World Cup.
