Zimpapers Logo

Tedious Manyepo Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWE are expected to send three national teams, which include the Under-14s, 17s and the seniors, to a three-day International Handball Federation-sanctioned Zambia Independence Cup handball tournament set to get underway on October 27, in Lusaka.Each age-group has both female and male teams.

A total of six countries — South Africa, Malawi, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and the hosts Zambia — are expected to battle for honours at the inaugural edition of the tournament.

Zimbabwe Handball national development officer, Daniel Mtandwa, said the teams have since upped their preparations ahead of the competition.

“We are preparing to go to Zambia for the inaugural edition of the Zambia Independence Cup tournament which will run from October 27 to 29.

“We will send three teams which include the Under-14s, 17s and the seniors for the tournament.

“The teams are eager to go there and bring back medals for the country. In fact, the teams have since started preparing for the competitions and morale is very high among the players,” said Mtandwa.

He said the Under-14 girls and boys teams’ have been selected from top handballing schools, who did well in the past ball games school term.

The schools include Lochnivar, Budiriro 5 and Glen Norah’s Chembira.

The Under-17 teams have been picked from Masvingo’s handball powerhouse Danhamombe and Masholand East’s Acturus.

Some members of the Under-20 teams, who participated at the recent IHF Zone V1 fiesta in South Africa, are expected to form the core of the senior teams.

The men’s Zone V1 team finished fifth in the eight team edition while the women’s team won bronze behind Zambia and gold medallists Mozambique.

The sport of handball is making strides and a lot of regional and international tournaments have been lined up for this year.

This is despite that the county’s handball mother body — the Zimbabwe Handball Federation — is currently suspended by the Sports Commission due to some “irregularities”.