Bitok lauds beach volleyball duo after continental triumph

Rwanda volleyball national team head coach Paul Bitok has commended the pair of his women beach volleyball players comprised of Charlotte Nzayisenga and Denyse Mutatsimpundu after the duo clinched a historic CAVB Beach Volleyball African Nations Cup on Sunday in Maputo, Mozambique. The Rwandan duo defeated continental giants Morocco 2-1 to claim the second edition of the continental showpiece which gave them an automatic ticket to compete at the 2017 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships that will be held from July 28 to August 6 in Vienna, Austria. Morocco won the opening set 21-12 before Rwanda bounced back to claim the second set 21-19 and the decisive 3rd one 15-13. “I’m happy that my dream with the girls that I have worked with since junior level has finally come true. It’s a result of hard work, discipline, team work and determination,” the Kenyan tactician Bitok noted. “As a team, we dedicate this trophy to the Minister of Sports (Hon. Julienne Uwacu) because this achievement has been done during her time. She has been challenging the women players to do better,” Bitok added In 2012, at the junior category, this same pair won the Africa championship, but failed to participate in the world Championships as hosts Canada denied them entry visas. Meanwhile in the Men’s category, Rwanda’s pair of Flavier Ndamukunda and Patrick Akumuntu Kavalo finished in fifth place hence missing out on the qualification. The other qualified teams in the women category include Morocco, Mozambique and Kenya while in men’s category Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa and Sierra Leone qualified. editorial@newtimes.co.rw