The three players include the National U18 ladies beach volleyball duo of Valentine Munezero and Penelope Musabyimana, as well as runner Aime Phraditte Bakunzi Rwanda’s sole representative in athletics who runs in men’s 3000 meters category.
The Rwandan contingent left the country for Argentine at 1.00am Tuesday. The delegation was officially flagged off at Amahoro stadium by the Director of Sports at the Ministry of Sports and Culture Didier Guy Rurangayire.
Alexis Sharangabo, the Secretary General for Rwanda National Olympic and Sports Comittee (RNOSC) and former Rwandan middle-distance runner reminded the players that they are going to face off rivals from all over the world but that should not discourage them. Instead, he urged them to use their utmost efforts and behave well.
{{Optimistic about victory.
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The captain of this team Valentine Munezero who plays beach volleyball, on behalf of her playmates announced that they are set for the competition. She also said that they are aware that the competition is stiff but they are optimistic about victory.
It is not for the first time that the duo, Munezero and Musabyimana have participated in international competitions.
In July 2017, the duo delivered a rare medal for Rwanda by defeating Scotland in the bronze medal contest at the Commonwealth Youth Games Beach Volleyball in Nassau, Bahamas.
Meanwhile, in July 2018, the team won bronze medal in Youth African Games 2018 in Alger, Algeria and secured the ticket to the upcoming Youth Olympics.
Munezero says that they have learned a lot from previous competitions and that they have tried to correct the mistakes they made. For this time around, she said, they will have to be careful.
“In Beach Volleyball, when your playmate fouls and you get angry at them, you are already defeated. So, for us it is an advantage because when one of our players foul we don’t blame them but keep the morale. That is why we win.”She said.
Christopher Mudahinyuka, Beach Volleyball Coach also emphasizes that his team is well prepared. He said that their goal is now to win.
The Rwandan team is among 25 other teams that will compete including: Argentina, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Guatemala, Thailand, Puerto Rico, USA, Italy, Norway, Poland, Spain, Netherlands, Dominica, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela, Aruba, Mozambique, Egypt, Vanuatu and Canada.
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