After scooping their first regional title, Rwanda U20 handball team has turned focus on making history at the 2017 International Handball Federation (IHF) Continental Challenge tourney in Gabon.

This week, Rwanda U-20 men’s team claimed the International Handball Federation (IHF) Africa Zone 5B Challenge title after defeating hosts and defending champions Uganda 38-32 in the final.

The biennial tournament attracted best talents from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, South Sudan and hosts Uganda.

Rwanda finished the four-day tournament as the only unbeaten team hence qualifying to represent Africa Zone 5B at the continental event in the men category while Uganda will represent the region in the women category. The African Championship will be held in March, 2017 in Gabon.

According to Rwanda’s assistant coach Anaclet Bagirishya, the team will be aiming to make a memorable debut and have already set a target of claiming gold medal in Gabon.

"We have already set our target and hopefully we will be able to achieve it. It has been a long wait to win the regional title and not we can focus on the continental challenge, which will be a lot harder,” Bagirishya told Sunday Sport.

He further noted; "We hope to carry out various training camps after the exact dates for the event have been confirmed.”

Meanwhile, the seven teams that have qualified from other zones include; Guinea Conakry (Zone II), Benin (Zone III), DR Congo (Zone IV), Ethiopia (Zone VA), Rwanda (Zone VB), Mozambique (Zone VI) and Madagascar (Zone VII).

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