Handball: 17 Players In Preparatory Camp For IHF Championship

Nigeria’s under 18 male handball team are presently in camp in Lagos in preparation for the International Handball Federation (IHF) championship, Trophy Intercontinental 2023.

The championship will hold in San Jose, Costa Rica, from March 6 to March 11, and will be the 5th edition organised by the IHF.

Cosmos Chukwuemeka, the Media Representative, Handball Federations Of Nigeria (HFN) made this known in a statement on Thursday.

According to the statement, Nigeria, African champions in the under 18 male category, are participating in the championship for the second time.

The country finished second in the 2019 edition, which held in Pristina, Kosovo, losing to Chinese Taipei 27-26 in the final.

The statement also said the coach Emeka Nnamani tutored side would be playing in a round robin competition against the likes of Georgia, Guadaloupe, Nicaragua and Tahiti.

Nigeria’s first match will be played on the March 8 against Nicaragua.

Nigeria had qualified for the IHF Trophy Intercontinental 2023 after defeating Guinea 37-36 in the final of the IHF Trophy Continental Phase, which held in Brazzaville, Congo, earlier in the year.

Before then they played in the Africa Zone 3 tournament of the competition in Ivory Coast defeating everyone and are unbeaten in the championship since losing to Chinese Taipei.

Coach Nnamani invited 17 players who are presently undergoing serious preparation ahead of the championship.

The players consist largely of those who played in the Africa Zone 3 and the continental phase of the championship as well as new players.

The players invited to the camp are: Kareem Faruk, Kuti Akorade, Sulaimon Azeez, Faloki Christian, Obabori Samuel, Mukiala Fuad, Mohammed Mustapha, Shagari John, Sulaiman Sani and Isiyaka Mustapha.

Others are: Tahir lawal, Rufai Aliyu, Ajibike Kareem, Ojo Oluwagbanga, Ganiu Aduragbemi, Mohammed Musa and Sani Mutari.