All set for V-ball Genocide Memorial Tournament

Over 20 teams have confirmed participation in the Genocide Memorial Tournament (GMT) to be held on Saturday and Sunday in Kigali City. The tournament has attracted teams from different countries, according to Rwanda Volleyball Federation (FRVB), the organizers. “Preparations are going on well and we have everything in place to organize the event. We also have teams from outside Rwanda coming, and we believe we will have a good tournament,” FRVB Executive Secretary, Christian Hatumimana, said. This year’s tournament will bring together 22 teams nominated by their respective national federations from Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan and DR Congo. The event will have both the men and women categories. The teams are expected to start arriving on Friday and the last team is expected to arrive Saturday morning. Rayon sports are the defending champions in the men’s category while in women’s category, Rwanda Revenue Authority are the defending champions. The visiting teams together with Rwandan teams will be drawn in different pools. The matches will be held at Amahoro Indoor Stadium, NPC Gymnasium, Primature and SFB in the men’s category, while Ecole Belge, Kimisagara and Club Rafiki courts will host games for the women category. Rwanda will be represented by five teams in the men’s category including APR, Rayon Sports, Kirehe, INATEK and IPRC-South. The foreign teams expected include Kampala Amateur Volleyball Club, Ndejje University and Sport S in men’s category; others are Cobra (South Sudan), VC Espoir (DRC), Kenya Sports Authority and Nairobi Waters, among others. The women category will attract Rwanda Revenue Authority, APR, St Alloys Rwamagana and Ruhango from Rwanda; Kenya Commercial Bank and Nairobi Waters will represent Kenya while Uganda will send the trio of Vision, Sport S and Ndejje University. Meanwhile, South Africa will host the 2016 Men’s U23 African Nations Championship, which will run from October 12-20, in Durban. The first edition was hosted by Egypt in Sharm El Sheikh in 2014 and Tunisia won the title. The top two teams will qualify for the 2017 FIVB World Championship. editorial@newtimes.co.rw