The national men and women’s beach volleyball teams start their campaign to qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games when they compete at the sub-zonal qualifiers from March 5-9 in Egypt.

Rwanda is in Pool Nine alongside Eritrea, hosts and African giants Egypt, Sudan and Uganda and the top two in the first round (sub zone) will proceed to the second round (zonal competition).

The top two teams will then meet the top two teams from each of the seven zones in Africa. The winners and runners-up will represent Africa at the Rio 2016 Olympics in Brazil.

Rwanda will be represented by four players in the men’s categories including Olivier Ntagengwa and Vincent Ruhumuriza as well as Flavien Ndamukunda and Pierre Marshal Kwizera as the other pair.

In the women’s category, Seraphine Mukantambara will pair with Judith Hakizimana while Denyse Mutatsimpundu will play alongside Charlotte Nzayisenga.

The teams will be coached by Jean-Damascene Ndagijimana and depart today at 4pm aboard Ethiopian Airlines. International referee Vedaste Ntanteteli will travel with the national team.

Ndagijimana has dropped Drocelle Muhawenimana (women) and Elie Mutabazi (men).

Rwanda’s women’s beach volleyball team comprised of Mutatsimpundu and Nzayisenga fell to Mauritius and South Africa in the London 2012 Olympic continental qualifiers hosted in Rubavu and failed to make the mark.

Alex Nkuranga and Guillaume Irakarama failed to qualify in the men’s competition held in Morocco.