School teams due to represent Rwanda in the forthcoming East African Post-Primary Games have started intensive preparations. The 14th edition of the annual multi-discipline competitions organised by Federation of East African Secondary School Sports Associations (FEASSSA) is set for August 14-24 in Huye District, Southern Province. According to the Rwanda School Sports Federation’s technical director, Aaron Rurangirwa, all the teams are undergoing rigorous training in residential camps at their respective schools and will converge in Huye District on August 10 for further preparations as the Games draw closer. In the last four editions, Rwandan schools have only won three titles (boys’ and girls’ handball in 2011 and girls’ football in 2013) and, as this year’s hosts, the target is to win as many titles as possible. “In the previous editions, our teams have largely trailed Kenya and Uganda, but this time round, we want to do much better because we are playing at home and we will field more teams than usual.” Unlike the last three years where Rwanda would field 19 teams, this year, that number is expected to rise to 35 teams competing in nine different sports disciplines namely; football, volleyball, basketball, handball, netball, rugby, tennis, table tennis and athletics. This is the second time that Rwanda is hosting the regional Games since 2008 when Kigali hosted the 7th edition. Tanzania hosted the 2014 event while the 2013 edition was staged Uganda. Burundi, Kenya, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda are the six countries that will compete in the forthcoming ten-day competitions. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
