Elaiuty spurs Rwanda’s early Paris preparations

Securing their spot at the 2024 Paralympics after a decisive victory over East African rivals Kenya in the African Sitting Volleyball Zone Championship final in Lagos, Nigeria, Mosaad Elaiuty is already planning ahead

He is looking ahead to rigorous training camps in Brazil and Germany as part of his team’s early preparations for the Paralympic Games in Paris.

“The reality is that, despite qualifying for Paris, we can’t sit down and think that we are done. We are going to be busy preparing for the finals. What we need most is a residential training camp and many build up matches,” Elaiuty said on his interview with The New Times.

“We need to have good preparations and warm up matches ahead of the tournament which will be a good learning experience. Paris Paralympic Games is bigger, it’s an international competition, so we have to keep these players together, no time to sit.”

Elaiuty, who also oversees the senior men’s national sitting volleyball team, stresses the importance of facing formidable opponents in friendly matches to elevate the team’s performance level.

“We have to look for friendly games with stronger teams, we need to test ourselves against quality opposition to get a feel of what to expect in Paris. It is very important to prepare well ahead of a big tournament. I believe we will improve our level because it is training that changes players and style of playing,” he noted.

Reflecting on the significance of thorough preparation, Elaiuty expressed confidence in the team’s ability to elevate their game through disciplined training and strategic refinement.

With Rwanda women set to make their third consecutive appearance in the Paralympic Games, having represented Africa at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, Elaiuty is determined to ensure they make their mark in Paris.

Source: The New Times | Peter Kamasa