Rwanda captain Liliane Mukobwankawe is not only aiming for achievement on the Paris 2024 Paralympic Video games however is already setting her sights on LA28. For Lili, Paris 2024 just isn’t the ultimate chapter, as she desires LA28 to be her final dance on the Paralympic Video games. This bold purpose displays her dedication and resilience, qualities which have propelled Rwanda to the fifth spot within the international rankings.
“I feel my final one is LA28 and after I wish to be a sitting volleyball coach as a result of I’ve already earned my Degree 1 teaching certificates since 2019,” she revealed.
She has been a cornerstone of the ladies’s sitting volleyball workforce since their debut at Rio 2016, and Paris 2024 will mark her third consecutive Video games look. Born in Kamonyi District within the Southern Province of Rwanda, she grew up in a mean household with two sisters and 4 brothers. “I’m the final born in my household,” she shared. Her ardour for sports activities began in secondary college, the place she loved enjoying basketball and volleyball.
Nonetheless, a highway accident on the age of seven, which injured her proper femur, altered her path. “Even after my accident, I considered persevering with sport however in one other motion, not Olympic however Paralympic as I’m disabled. Arriving there I noticed that the game is identical and I continued till now to play for my nation on the highest degree,” she mentioned.
Lili’s shift from sit-ball to sitting volleyball was pure, as she had performed each sports activities earlier than. “There have been no large challenges, however the one minor problem was to have the ability to play a collective sport with others who didn’t like sitting volleyball. However after some time with coaching, we tailored to sitting volleyball,” she defined.
Underneath her management, Rwanda’s girls’s sitting volleyball workforce has achieved historic success. “I’m very proud to be within the workforce that’s among the many greatest 5 on the planet and I’m prepared, together with my teammates, to do no matter it takes to interrupt into the highest 3,” Lili mentioned. She credited the workforce’s success to a number of elements: “Good assist from our authorities, an excellent workers particularly our head coach, good preparation, and teamwork of our workforce.”
The workforce’s journey to qualifying for 3 Paralympic Video games has been demanding. “It’s an excellent expertise to take part within the third version of the Paralympic Video games as a result of there are few gamers who try this. What pushes me to do that is that I need to obtain my goals I had for a very long time,” she shared.
The coaching routine for the workforce has developed considerably, particularly with the addition of Egyptian coach Mosaad Elaiuty. “The coaching program has developed quite a bit for the reason that arrival of coach Mosaad as a result of he has introduced different methods, methods, and ways. Additionally, enjoying in robust groups right here within the championship, all this improved my coaching programme,” she famous.
A typical coaching week for the 34-year-old Lili is rigorous. “For my facet, I do my particular person coaching three days per week. And for our workforce, now we’re in a coaching camp of 30 days. However even after the African Championship, we didn’t cease for a very long time,” she mentioned.
