Liliane Mukobwankawe, captain of the women’s national sitting volleyball team, has said that she and her teammates will be ‘more ready’ for the Tokyo Paralympic Games after being pushed back by one year. The 16th edition of the world’s biggest sporting event for athletes with disabilities was initially scheduled for August 25 through September 6 this year to August 24 – September 4, 2021. Rwanda secured its ticket to the Paralympic Games last September after retaining the African Championships for a third consecutive time on home soil in Kigali, at Amahoro Indoor Stadium. Speaking to Times Sport on Sunday, Mukobwankawe admitted that postponing the Paralympics affected some players, but “health and safety of players should always come first” and the move to move the event is ‘totally’ justified. The 16th Paralympic Games are one of the sports events that were moved to next year following the COVID-19 pandemic that saw many others either cancelled or indefinitely suspended. The Olympic Games have also been rescheduled for next year. “This plague has made us think and ask ourselves what matters the most, and without a question health (of players and everyone involved) is top priority. Postponing the event mentally affected some players but we are trying to help them. We will even be more ready next year.” “At individual level, I kept training even during lockdown and hopefully we can all celebrate the Paralympics and embrace the Paralympic values in Tokyo,” she added. Mukobwankawe also revealed that Egypt-born head coach Mossad Rashad Elaiuty and his assistant, Jean Marie Nsengiyumva, shared a weekly training routine with the team and most have been working out to maintain a good fitness level. Rwanda retained the African championship after beating Egypt in the final and will be making a second appearance at the Paralympic Games following the 2016 debut in Brazil.
