National handball league side APR has vowed to record a historic debut and claim this year’s East and Central Africa Handball Federation (ECAHF) championship title that starst on December 6 and run until 12 in Kigali.

The regional tournament is set to attract over 10 clubs from Kenya, Uganda, DR Congo, Tanzania in both men and women categories, and hosts Rwanda will be represented by APR and Police in men category as well as Ecole Scondaire Mukingi and UR College of Education (former KIE) in the women fray.

However, only league champions Police are familiar with this annual tournament having featured three times in 2004, 2012 and 2014 when they recorded their best performance after finishing fourth. The remaining three clubs will be making their debuts.

Nevertheless, APR coach Anaclet Bagirishya has revealed his side is eager to put on a good fight and make a memorable debut.

"Despite this being our first time in this tournament, we have been involved in other regional tournaments and even won some, so we know the kind of competition we are heading into and ready to compete,” said Bagirishya.

In June this year, APR beat Tanzania’s Ngome to win the genocide memorial tournament which had attracted a number of regional clubs before winning the East African Military games handball title in Kampala later in August.

Bagirishya noted that, "It will be a big challenge competing against regional giants like DR Congo’s Police which has won this tournament four times in a row but we are not the underdogs and I have full confidence in my boys.”

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