National Paralympics Committee (NPC) chairman Celestin Nzenyimana has promised a spectacular Sitball World Championships, which starts today.

Rwanda national Sitball team, led by Jean Bosco Ngizwenimana (right), during a training session early this week. Times Sport/ Courtesy

The two-day tournament, which has attracted seven countries, will be held at the NPC gymnasium and Amhoro indoor stadium in Remera.

In an interview with Times Sport on Wednesday, 

Nzenyimana said everything is in place to make the 2013 edition a success on and off the field.

“Rwanda is playing a big part in developing Sitball in the region and on the African continent, and we want to organise a very successful event. This is a good opportunity for us to show to the world that we are more than capable of organising international competitions,” he stated.

He added that “We hope that in coming years the number of participating countries will increase, because the higher the number of teams, the more entertaining the competition is.”

Nzenyimana promised  to make the event  spectacular for fans and players to enjoy the atmosphere around the stadium.

Rwanda open against Kenya

Hosts Rwanda will kick-off the defence of their World title against debutants Kenya. Rwanda will be looking to make the most of home advantage to retain the world title, which they won in Uganda in 2010.

According to the team head coach Elia Manirarora, they will do everything possible to ensure that the World Sitball title stays in Rwanda.

“When you have the World cup, all eyes are on you. It is a close competition and we will need to be at our very best if we’re to defend the title,” Manirarora said yesterday.

“Everyone is focused and ready for the tournament,” he said, revealing that only three new faces have been added to the squad that won the competition in Kampala three years ago. The NPC has received Rwf30m in sponsorship from the Ministry of Sports and Culture.

Rwanda’s 12-man team started training almost two weeks in readiness for the tournament.

Rwanda team:

Jean Semana, Dominique Bizimana, Jean Rukundo, Callixte Twagirayezu, Désiré Serugo, Jean Baptiste Murema, Jean Népomscene Nshimyumuremyi, Jean Bosco Ngizwenimana, Fulgence Hagenimana, Jean Baptiste Gahamanyi, Emile Vuningabo and Bernard Ahishakiye.

2006: Germany

2008: Germany

2010: Rwanda

SOURCE: RWANDA PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE.