Rwanda records historic success in FEASSSA Games

Finals: Selected results Sunday Boys’ volleyball Rusumo HS (Rwa) 3-1 Malava (Ken) Girls’ volleyball Indengaburezi (Rwa) 3-2 Kwanthanze (Ken) Boys’ handball Kigoma (Rwa) 24-23 St. Peter’s (Ken) Girls’ handball Mukingi (Rwa) 22-19 Gombe SS (Uga) Boys’ tennis Singles E. Habiyambere (Rwa) bt M. Tumaine (TZ) 6-1, 6-0 Doubles E. Habiyambere/ F. Tuyishime (Rwa) bt D. Uwimana/ E. Niyigena 4-2, 5-3 Saturday Rugby 7s Saint Famille (Rwa) 19-14 Kangaru (Ken) Hosts Rwanda dominated this year’s East African Post-Primary Championships after registering a historic triumph in six competitions on the final day of 14th edition of FEASSSA Games. Unlike in previous years where Rwandan sides could only reach finals but none coining a title, it was totally a different story this time round as seven home teams won their respective finals on Sunday in Huye and Gisagara districts, Southern Province. Making their second appearance at the annual regional competitions, Rusumo High School boys’ volleyball team overcame a tough challenge from the 2013 winners Malava of Kenya to win the final in four sets (3-1) 28-26, 25-22, 21-25 and 25-23. In the girls’ category, GS Indangaburezi fought hard to dethrone holders Kwanthanze (Kenya) in a five-set thriller that lasted nearly three hours. Abdul Karim Shumbusho’s Indangaburezi beat their Kenyaan opponents 25-16, 19-25, 25-21, 23-25 and 15-9. “It is a great feeling to win this tournament, especially after losing the last two finals in Uganda (2013) and Tanzania (2014). We were determined and well prepared coming into this competition, we truly deserved the title,” a visibly excited Shumbusho told Times Sport on courtside. Rwanda’s ES Kigoma and ES Mukingi clinched handball titles after narrowly winning 24-23 over Saint Peter’s of Kenya and 22-19 against defending champions Gombe SS of Uganda in the boys’ and girls’ finals, respectively. In tennis, Rwanda emerged champions after winning both singles and doubles gold medals—Ernest Habiyambere claimed the singles accolade before teaming up with Fabrice Tuyishime to grab the doubles trophy. In the girls’ category, Rwanda finished second behind Kenya. Elsewhere, the netball title was retained by Uganda’s St Mary’s Kitende which also won the girls’ basketball gold medal. ETG Nyakabiga of Burundi won the boys’ basketball crown. Wiyeeta of Kenya clinched the girls’ football gold medal while Masaka SS of Uganda bagged boys’ football title, becoming the first school other than St Mary’s Kitende, in nine years to win the title. The eight-day long Federation of East African Secondary School Sports Associations (FEASSSA) Games were officially closed by the Minister for Education Papias Musafiri at UR- Huye Campus last evening. editorial@newtimes.co.rw