Burundi national sitting volleyball teams (men and women) are expected in Kigali on Friday to play a couple of friendly matches against their Rwanda counterparts on Saturday and Sunday.

The two teams will play four games-two in each category (men and women) at the NPC Gymnasium in Amahoro stadium.

The local National Paralympics Committee (NPC) said the friendly matches are part of Rwanda’s preparations ahead of the forthcoming 2015 Para volley Africa Sitting Volleyball Championships slated for July 23-29 in Kigali.

The week-long continental tournament will also serve as qualifiers for the 2016 Summer Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Africa has been offered only two slots (one for men and one for in women) at the Rio Paralympics but NPC president Celestin Nzeyimana is confident Rwandan will grab both tickets.

"We are aware of the challenge ahead; we know the North African countries are strong, but we have been preparing and are going to double our efforts in the next one month so that we can see both teams in Rio Games,” Nzeyimana said in an interview with Times Sport.

At the 2012 London Paralympic Games, Rwanda represented Africa alongside Morocco, becoming the first sub-Saharan nation to compete at the multi-sport event.

According to national men’s team head coach, Jean Marie Nsengiyumva, hosting the competition has several advantages for Rwanda.

"It is definitely going to be a tough tournament but we are prepared and we hope that playing at home will give us an advantage.”

Since the introduction of women’s sitting volleyball in Athens Games in 2004, Africa will be represented for the first time in Rio. So far, only Rwanda, Kenya and Egypt have confirmed participation in the qualifiers.

In the men’s category; Morocco, Egypt, Algeria, Kenya and hosts Rwanda have confirmed participation while Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda are yet to confirm.

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