Liliane Mukobwankawe

Started: She began playing sitting volleyball at age 17 in Kigali, Rwanda (paralympic.org, 13 Dec 2015) Reason: She grew up with a passion for sport. In 2007 she met someone at school who told her about sitting volleyball and advised her to try out for the Rwandan team. "It was my first time to see the game but I integrated very quickly. I started this sport because I liked it and used to play standing volleyball prior to acquiring my impairment." (Athlete, 29 Aug 2024; straitstimes.com, 04 Nov 2023; newtimes.co.rw, 27 Aug 2016) Awards: She and athletics competitor Emmanuel Niyibizi were Rwanda's flag bearers at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (medias.paris2024.org, 28 Aug 2024) She was one of six athletes to carry the Paralympic Games flag at the opening ceremony of the 2020 Games in Tokyo. (allafrica.com, 25 Aug 2021; worldparavolley.org, 24 Aug 2021) She was named Best Defender at the 2019 African Championships. (worldparavolley.org, 14 Dec 2023) She was named Best Receiver at the 2015 African Championships. (worldparavolley.org, 14 Dec 2023) Additional Info: OTHER ACTIVITIES In 2017 she was named a women's representative on the executive committee of the National Paralympic Committee of Rwanda. In 2020 she became a member of the athletes' commission at World ParaVolley. (worldparavolley.org, 24 Aug 2021; npcrwanda.com, 2017) LEADER She captained the Rwandan women's sitting volleyball team at the 2016 and 2020 editions of the Paralympic Games. (worldparavolley.org, 17 Aug 2021; paralympic.org, 15 Sep 2016)