“This is the time for us to qualify for the World Championship and the Olympic Games,” Rwanda’s women’s volleyball captain Valentine Munezero declared.
To secure a quota spot* for the Olympic Games LA28, Rwanda must win the 2026 CAVB Women’s Volleyball Championship this Friday (4 September) in Nairobi, or finish in the top three to qualify for the World Championships, another pathway to Olympic qualification.
“Qualifying for Los Angeles would be a dream come true,” said Munezero, who captained and competed at the 2019 U20 World Championship in Mexico.
Qualifying as a senior would be more than a personal achievement; it would be a national pride.
“It would show that Rwanda has the talent, potential, and determination to compete at the highest level,” she told Olympics.com.
Rwanda have never reached the final, but their performance in Nairobi has earned glowing reviews from opponents, coaches and spectators.
“The competition is not easy. Every team is here to qualify the World Championship, for the Olympic Games. Everyone is fighting for the trophy. That’s why we are competing,” she said.
Making their fifth appearance at the biannual competition, Rwanda topped group D with three sweeps, including one against the 2009 champions Algeria.
They swept Burkina Faso and went on to beat Ghana 3-1 in the quarter finals to sail into Thursday’s semi-finals, where they will face off 2023 silver medallists and three-time African champions Egypt.
“We’ve worked really hard for this moment, and seeing Rwanda this close to the final makes us even more motivated. But the job is not done yet,” she said.
After the Burkina Faso sweep at the Kasarani Arena, Munezero led the players and fans in singing, “Rwanda itajengwa na sisi wenyewe,” meaning “Rwanda will be built by us ourselves,” a declaration of self-reliance.
Munezero said: “Each one of us has a responsibility to contribute to the Rwanda we want. As athletes, our contribution can be through our performance, our discipline, inspiring people, and being good ambassadors of our country.
“When we play, we learn teamwork, discipline, respect, resilience, and responsibility. When we represent Rwanda internationally, we are showing the world what Rwanda can achieve.”
The 26-year-old, who took up volleyball in 2013 after her unusual height caught the eye of head coach Christophe Mudahinyuka, is leading the team and carrying the hopes of a nation: “We know the semi-final will be another big challenge, so we’ll stay focused, believe in ourselves, and fight for every single point. We want to make Rwanda proud.”
Striving to make the country proud has been at the heart of Munezero’s journey since 2017. Aged 16, she captained Rwanda’s U18 beach national team, a year that also saw her crowned Rwanda’s best young player.
She currently captains both the beach and indoor national teams. She has captained the indoor national team since 2023, when they finished fourth.
“It’s a good thing because having the trust of the country, it’s like an honour. It’s a big pleasure. I cannot take it for granted.”
“I try my best to make sure that I cannot do the worst things just to make my country look bad,” she told Olympics.com.
*As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective teams at the Olympic Games, athletes’ participation at the LA Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at LA28.
read more: https://www.olympics.com/en/news/rwanda-valentine-munezero-volleyball-la28-dream
