Some of the Team Rwanda athletes seen with Huye District Mayor Ange Sebutege who visited the Rwanda’s Olympic Village
The long-awaited inaugural ANOCA Zone V Youth Games begin today in Huye District attracting over 300 athletes from 12 countries battling for 39 medals.
The five-day event will feature participants born between January 1, 2001, and January 1, 2003 from Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Egypt, Somalia, Eritrea, Uganda, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Sudan, hosts Rwanda and guest nation France.
The latest nations to arrive on Monday included Team Ethiopia who will compete in athletics and Egypt who will compete in all five sports disciplines (Athletics, Beach Volley, 3×3 Basketball, Cycling and Teakwondo).
Team Tanzania also jetted in on Sunday and will field teams in Athletics and 3×3 Basketball.
Uganda has sent two basketball contingents of four players each in both sex categories in 3×3 basketball event.Both teams are made of players who featured for Uganda at the U18 FIBA Africa Championships late last year.
The boys’ team is led by Fayed Bbale and is joined by Seibe Rabujje Matsiko, Harry Lubajo, and Arnold Kevin Kasobya.
Kenya has sent a total of 28 participants with a mission of claiming overall medals in all disciplines. They have teams in athletics, basketball 3×3, cycling, and taekwondo and beach volleyball.
Rwanda is fielding athletes in beach volleyball (boys and girls), cycling (boys and girls), basketball 3*3 (Boys and girls), Taekwondo (boys and girls) and athletics (boys and girls).
Competition venues for the games include Stade Huye (Athletics), GSO Butare (Basketball), Huye roads (Cycling), Gatagara HS (Taekwondo) and GSO Butare (Beach Volleyball).
Athletes from all the participating countrie have converged in Huye Disrtrict for the competition whose opening ceremony is due on Monday evening from 17h00 to 20h00 at Stade Huye and will be broadcasted live on Azam TV.
On Wenesday, a technical meeting will be held at 11h00 at Stade Huye before the games get underway with the athletics events in 400m, 100m and 800m in both boys and girls.
The event has been organised by the Association of National Olympic Committees for Africa (ANOCA)’s Zone V in conjunction with the Rwanda National Olympic and Sports Committee, and the Government of Rwanda in the spirit of Olympism and the power of sports to reconstruct the country from the genocide ideology.
Team Rwanda Representatives
Beach Volleyball
Boys: Dieu Est La Ndahayo, Bernard Masabo, Romeo Ngabo Rwamuhizi, and Merci Gisubizo
Girls: Penelope Musabyimana, Clementine Kayitesi, Hyacente Ingabire and Albertine Uwiringiyimana.
Cycling
Men’s Team: Renus Uhiriwe Byiza, Jean Eric Habimana, Eric Muhoza, Jean Baptiste Nsabimana and Felicien Hakizimana. Coach Nathan Byukusenge
Women’s Team: Diane Ingabire, Diane Ishimwe, Savelyne Nirere, Violette Neza Irakoze and Valentine Nzayisenga.
Basketball 3*3
Men’s Team: Jean de Dieu Uwimana, Bruce Mudende Rutishisha, Thierry Nkundwa and Landry Irumva.
Girls Team: Hope Butera, Deborah Iryimanivuze, Sifa Joyeuse Ineza, Deborah Iryimanivuze and Faustine Mwizerwa. Head coach Moise Mutokambali
Taekwondo
Ivan Iradukunda (-48kgs), Eric Byukusenge (-55kgs), Elissa Uwineza (-63kgs), Vincent Ntaganda (-73kgs), Edison Niyomukiza (-73kgs), Anita Ingabire (-44kgs), Kevin Umutesi (-49kgs), Adinette Umuhoza (-55kgs), Nadege Umurerwa (-63kgs) and Emmanuelle Tumukunde (-63kgs).
Athletes
Boys: Martin Niyonkuru, Kwame Karangwa, David Ishimwe, Alexis Habinshuti, Aime Phrodite Bakunzi and Felix Uwimana.
Girls: Nadine Nzambazamariya, Claire Uwitonze and Frolence Niyonkuru
Coach: Anicet Kanyabugoyi
