This archive report was first published on 12 July 2021.
Published on July 12, 2021, the Zone Five qualifiers of the 2021 Fiba AfroBasket women's tournament tipped off in Kigali, with Kenya facing off against hosts Rwanda in the opening match.
The Kenyan Lionesses had a warm reception at the Kigali International Airport on Friday evening, where they underwent Covid-19 checks, including a mandatory PCR test.
After a two-hour training session at the Kigali Arena on Saturday morning, the team trained for another two hours on Sunday in readiness for the championship.
Due to health precautions, the 10,000-seater Kigali Arena will have no spectators for the duration of the championship.
"It has been an incredible journey to get here," said head coach George Mayienga. "Calling up players to the team, preparing it for two months, and now here we are. The players seem to enjoy it, and our focus now is on the prize."
The winner of the tournament will secure a spot in the FIBA AfroBasket championship, set to take place from September 17-26 at the Multipurpose Sports Complex in Yaounde, Cameroon.
