Quest for medals starts

Men’s Sitting Volleyball Today, 10.00pmIran vs. RwandaFriday, 3pmBrazil vs. RwandaSunday, 10amChina vs. RwandaRWANDA marks her debut in the men’s sitting volleyball competition against defending world Paralympic champions Iran at 10pm at Excel-South Arena 2 in the Paralympics Games which kicked off yesterday in London.After winning the sub-Saharan championship title, the national sitting volleyball team managed to test their ability against hosts Great Britain and the experience gained from their two-legged losses 2-3 and 1-3 to Great Britain in friendly matches will be pivotal in upstaging the favourites Iran who have been gold medal winners at five of the last six Paralympic Games.Since Iran made its Paralympics debut in Seoul in 1988, its men Sitting Volleyball team has won gold at every single Games, only missing out on the top podium place in 2004 when it lost 3-2 to arch rivals Bosnia and Herzegovina in Athens.In London, the defending world and Paralympic champions will start as overwhelming favourites for a sixth gold and Coach Hadi Rezaeigarkani knows anything else will be classed as failure.However, the National Paralympic boss Dominique Bizimana said recently, “We know it will not be easy but we will fight for the pride of our nation,” added Bizimana.Coach Pieter Karreman said Rwanda will make a big step to win. “You can achieve everything regardless the disability you have, all the guys are disabled, they have worked hard and they are proud and ready to defend their country.”“They are ready and playing against Iran is not an easy task but we will see how it goes,” Karreman said recently in an interview from London.Iran coach Rezaeigarkani was quoted as saying, “We really feel the pressure because everyone in Iran expects us to stand first and this is burden enough that we feel on our shoulders.” “Our main objective is to win gold medal in London and we have undergone hard training for a year. However, in sport nothing is predictable and we rely on divine help and also sincere prayers of our people,” added Rezaeigarkani.Sitting volleyball in the Iranian disability sports, holds the same status as soccer for the able-bodied. It’s the most popular sport for the disabled in Iran.Action continues on Friday when Rwanda take on Brazil before winding up their Group B matches against China on Sunday. Group A has hosts Great Britain, Morocco, Russia, Germany and Egypt.Following poor performance at the able-bodied London Olympic Games, the National Paralympic team is on a mission to redeem the country’s fortunes like it did eight years ago in Athens. Apart from sitting volleyball team, Hermas Muvunyi (400m and 800m), Théoneste Nsengimana (1,500m), and power-lifter Théogène Hakizimana (82.50kg) are the other competitors on the team.Jean de Dieu Nkundabera represented Rwanda in Athens, and won the country’s first ever Paralympic medal, by taking bronze in the T46 men’s 800 metre race, with a time of 1:58.95.The athlete represented the country again at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing but failed to come close to his heroics of four years earlier.Meanwhile, medal hopeful and last year’s All Africa Games gold medalist Hermas Muvunyi was the flag bearer as Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the Paralympic Games last night at the Olympics stadium at Stratford in East London Stratford.Starting line-ups:Iran: Alipourian Davood, Bidgeli Sadegh, Ebrahimibaladezaei Seyeds, Eimery Jalil, Eiri Ahmad, Naser Alinazari, Khaleghi Mohammed, Majid Lashgarisanami, Peidayesh Reza, Salehi Ramezan and Isa ZirahiRwanda: Dominique Bizimana, James Rutikanga, Vincent Tuyisenge, Jean Rukundo, Jean Baptista Murema, Callixte Twagirayezu, Jean Bosco Ngizwenimana, Jean Baptista Gahamanyi, Fulgence Hagenimana, Eric Ngirinshuti and Emile Vuningabo.

Sports

Quest for medals starts