Nigeria’s under-23 and under-18 men’s handball teams have begun intensive preparatory camps ahead of two top international handball championships, Afrosport reports.
The men’s U23 handball team, led by coaches Solomon Yola and Adebayo Yekini, is presently undergoing intensive training at Package B of the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja ahead of the 5th IHF Emerging Nations Championship, which will hold from 11-16 March 2025 in Vana, Bulgaria.
They have been drawn in Group B, where they will play the United States, Azerbaijan, and the Republic of Moldova in the event slated for the Palace of Sports and Culture in Vana.
Nigeria will kick off their campaign against the U.S.A. on Tuesday, 11 March, and will play Azerbaijan the next day, before facing Moldova thereafter.
The IHF Emerging Nations Championship is organised by the International Handball Federation (IHF) for countries participating in the four-year plan of the European Handball Federation and some of the best-ranked countries that didn’t qualify for the World Men’s Handball Championship. Nigeria had previously participated in the 2019 edition in Georgia and the 2023 edition in Bulgaria, finishing second on both occasions.
Meanwhile, the men’s U18 handball team, led by coaches Emeka Nnamani and Joshua Ayo, has begun preparation at the Rowe Park Sports Centre in Yaba, Lagos, ahead of the IHF Trophy Intercontinental Phase, which will be held in Pristina, Kosovo, from 12-16 March 2025.
The U18 team is Africa’s sole representative at the tournament, having sealed a 38-26 victory over Guinea to be crowned champions of the Continental Phase in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in November. They have been consistently ranked as one of the top teams of the IHF Men’s Trophy in the Youth Category with a second-place finish in Pristina, Kosovo, in 2019 and finishing third in San Jose, Costa Rica, in 2023.
Nnamani’s side will begin their campaign against New Caledonia on Wednesday, 12 March, and will also play Kosovo as well in the preliminary stage.
President of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Samuel Ocheho, reiterated the federation’s commitment to restoring Nigeria’s place in the global handball community. He added, “sending two national teams to international competitions is the perfect way to do so, despite the herculean tasks ahead.'”
“We have always worked hard to ensure that we take our place back in the international handball community and it’s been an ongoing process all these years with physical dividends as shown in our successes in international competitions.
“In our continued push to do so, we are to send two of our national teams to top international competitions which we know will improve the lot of sport in Nigeria despite the herculean tasks which involve massive finances to do so.
“But we are not dettered and we know that this is the way to go for us to be of reckoning once again in the international handball community ” Ocheho concluded.
List of Invited U18 Players For IHF Trophy’s Intercontinental Phase
Goalkeepers: Oboabori Samuel (Tojemarine), Attahiru Sahabi (Sokoto Rima), David Moses (Adamawa Warriors)
Pivots: Suliamon Yusu & Okolie Andrew (Tojemarine)
Right Wing: Sani Suliamon (Niger United), Ganiu Aduragbemi (Lagos Seasiders)
Left Wing: Mustapha Muhammed (Tojemarine), Basit Akani Olayinka (Lagos Seasiders)
Centre Players: Faruk Kareem (Tojemarine), Suliamon Fashegbone (Lagos Seasiders), Aliyu Rufai (Correction Boys)
Right Back: Azeez Suliamon Olaitan (Tojemarine), Chuks Moses Egwuelu (Safety Shooters)
Left Back: Christian Faloki (Tojemarine), Musa Mohammed (Safety Shooters), Akinebu Godswill (Lagos Seasiders)
Invited U20 Players For The 5th IHF Emerging Nations Championship
Goalkeeper: Okwor Obinna, Nliam Anthony
Players: Daniel Bello, Salami Hakeem Damilare, Shagari John, Sani Muntari Yakubu, Chahul Joshua Delahan, Ibrahim Hayatu, Iortyer Sesugh Stephen, Yusuf Solomon, Shittu Umar, Isa Timothy Nzamwa, Anthony Ejembi John, Yusuf Faruk, Cole Gbenga Tobi, Ajibike Kareem Akanni Olawole, Abubakar Mustapha, and Ahmed Abubakar
