Sports

NIGERIA will, today, kick off its campaign at the 25th Africa Men’s Senior Handball Championship, held in Egypt.

The championship serves as the African qualifying contest for the 2023 World Men’s Handball Championship in Poland and Sweden.

The men’s senior handball team, the Golden Arrows, will meet their Tunisian counterpart in the first game and clash with Cape Verde tomorrow.

Nigeria is in Group C alongside Tunisia and Cape Verde.

Team Nigeria is at the competition with 16 players, including Oladunjoyn Adamolugbe, Sanni Bature Muhammed, Michael Solomon Agbaji, Kingsley Okubuike Ifenna, Christian Ogedemgbe, Obinna Anih, Rotibi Gbenga, Stephen Sesugh, Joseph Igwekire, Yusuf Farouk, Anas Muhammad, Obinna Patrick, Aminu Aliyu, Atabo Abubakar, Cole Gbenga and Owolabi Yahya.

According to Coach Rafiu Salami, the players are primed to make the country proud by securing a spot at the world championship.

“The last time Nigeria qualified for the World Championship was in 1999 and I was a member of the team at the time.

“Now, we want to make sure we do well enough to get the ticket for the world championship in Poland next year and we will start with this championship.

“The Handball Federation of Nigeria has given us everything they can with the level of sponsors that they got to make this trip possible. Despite the odds, we will do our best in making Nigeria proud,” Rafiu stated.

Nigeria has featured in 11 previous editions of the African Men’s Handball Nations with its best outing being in 1998 edition in South Africa, where it finished as the fourth-best team.

-The Guardian

KN

Tags: Aminu Aliyu Anas Muhammad Atabo Abubakar Christian Ogedemgbe Cole Gbenga Golden Arrows Joseph Igwekire Kingsley Okubuike Ifenna Michael Solomon Agbaji Obinna Anih Obinna Patrick Oladunjoyn Adamolugbe Rotibi Gbenga Sanni Bature Muhammed Stephen Sesugh Yusuf Farouk