This year, Rwanda achieved a remarkable milestone in women’s sitting volleyball, being ranked the fifth-best national team globally. This feat was accomplished thanks to top performances last year, especially in August when the team reached the semifinals of the women's sitting volleyball championship in Egypt.

Among all the countries playing the game worldwide, only China, the USA, Brazil, and Canada are ranked higher than Rwanda.

A significant part of the team’s success is its experienced captain, Liliane Mukobwankawe, one of the pioneers of the game in the country. The 34-year-old has led the team to three Paralympic tournaments—a challenging feat, as it requires beating some of the best teams on the continent to qualify.

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Who is Mukobwankawe?

Born in Kamonyi District, Southern Province in 1989, Mukobwankawe grew up with a love for sports, particularly basketball. However, her potential basketball career was cut short when she suffered a road accident that injured her right femur at 7 years. Despite this setback, her sporting aspirations were reignited in 2007 when she was in senior four after she met Venuste, a man who introduced her to sit-ball, a game that had just been introduced in Rwanda.

At that time, there was a sit-ball championship organised in Kigali at the National Paralympic Committee Gymnasium, and she was immediately recruited by a team called Imena.

"It was my first time seeing the game, but I integrated very quickly. Each player was passing me the ball to score a goal, and I liked it mainly because I found people who share the same life challenges as mine,” she recalls.

Mukobwankawe played for several sit-ball clubs before transitioning to sitting volleyball in 2012, as the National Paralympics Committee (NPC) focused on creating a women’s sitting volleyball team to compete for a spot at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Her talent quickly became evident, earning her a place on the 12-woman squad that represented the country in Rio.

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Since then, Mukobwankawe has led the team to two Paralympic tournaments, with a third appearance anticipated in August. Despite her past achievements, she believes this year has been even greater for the team, as they were named the fifth-best team in the world.

Preparation and Training

Reflecting on this year’s qualification for the Paris Olympics, Mukobwankawe notes the long and difficult journey.

"We started our training last year in February when our head coach, Mossad Rashad, rejoined the team,” she says. Rashad announced the 12-woman squad for the games, and the players entered a training camp, preparing for both the African Zone Championship and the World Cup in Egypt.

Rwanda performed well in both tournaments, winning the African Championship and finishing fifth in the World Cup. Today, the women's national sitting volleyball team ranks only behind China, the USA, Brazil, and Canada.

As the Paris Paralympics approach, Mukobwankawe emphasises the importance of maintaining good athleticism.

"I go to the gym at least three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I also have a ball at home, and I practice my touch, doing around 100 touches on the ball. I do elastic training and abdominals,” she says.

The training camp for the national team is expected to start before the end of June, with the goal of reaching at least the semifinals or even the finals.

"When you reach the semifinals, the possibility of going to the finals gets even closer,” she notes.

Future Aspirations

At 34, Mukobwankawe expects to play in one more Paralympic competition before retiring and transitioning to coaching.

"I currently hold a Level One coaching certification, but I am advancing my training to achieve Level Three. My goal is to coach after retiring from playing. I want to impart my skills and knowledge to young girls so that they can reach where I have reached,” she says.