Rwanda's women's sitting volleyball team are taking the positives after Tokyo 2020 was postponed ©Getty Images

The captain of Rwanda's history-making women's sitting volleyball team believes her side will be better prepared for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics after their postponement to next year.

Liliane Mukobwankawe claimed the country will be "even more ready" when they travel to the Japanese capital in 2021.

Tokyo 2020 will be the second Paralympics for Rwanda after they also qualified for Rio 2016, becoming the first African women's sitting volleyball team to book a place at the Games.

They sealed their Tokyo 2020 place in September after winning the African Sitting Volleyball Championships on home soil in Kigali.

Since then, a 14-strong training squad has been selected to prepare for the Games.

"This plague has made us think and ask ourselves what matters the most, and without a question health is top priority," said Mukobwankawe to The New Times.

Rwanda made history when they qualified for Rio 2016 ©Getty Images
Rwanda made history when they qualified for Rio 2016 ©Getty Images

"Postponing the event mentally affected some players but we are trying to help them. 

"We will even be more ready next year.

"At individual level, I kept training even during lockdown and hopefully we can all celebrate the Paralympics and embrace the Paralympic values in Tokyo."

The Tokyo 2020 Paralympics will now take place between August 24 and September 5 in 2021.

They were originally planned between August 25 and September 6 this year.