Rwanda volleyball senior men’s national team coach Paul Bitok has named the final 12-man team ahead of FIVB Zone V World Championships qualifier due on July 21-26 at the Amahoro Indoor Stadium in Kigali.

This year’s tournament will attract five countries, namely; Burundi, Egypt, Kenya, Uganda and hosts Rwanda. The top two teams will join Egypt in the continental final qualifying round.

Bitok is confident Rwanda will make the most of home advantage to qualify for the third and final qualifying round due early next year in Cairo.

The team is currently undergoing intensive training at Amahoro indoor stadium. Bitok is being assisted by Fidele Nyirimana and Elie Mutabazi.

The final round will decide the top three teams that will represent Africa at the 2018 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championships to be held in Poland.

Players, who were in the provisional squad and were dropped, include; setter Helve Kagimbura, center Guillaume Irakarama and Kirehe VC right attacker, Samuel Niyomugabo.

Meanwhile, in the first appearance at the ongoing Commonwealth Youth Games in Nassau, the Bahamas, Rwanda’s beach volleyball duo of Penelope Musabyimana and Valentine Munezero, led by coach Christophe Mudahinyuka, won the first match against Trinidad and Tobago 2-1.

Munezero’s girls lost their second match against New Zeeland, one of the best teams in the competition, in straight sets 2-0 (10-21 and 19-21). In the last pool game, Rwandan pair was due to play against St Lucia on Wednesday.

Zone V Final squad:

Setters: Ivan Mahoro Nsabimana and Jacob Rene Cyusa

Centers: Fred Musoni, Placide Madison Sibomana and Pierre Marshal Kwizera

Libero: Emile Karera and Bosco Mbonyijuru Mutabazi

Right attackers: Lawrence ‘Guma’ Yakan and Nelson Muranngwa

Left attackers: Christophe Mukunzi, Yves Mutabazi, Olivier Ntagengwa, Patrick Kavalo Akumuntu and Flavier Ndamukunda..

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