Nigeria’s U-18 and U-20 women’s handball teams have begun their preparations in Lagos ahead of the IHF Trophy’s Women Zonal Phase scheduled for April 20 to 24 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Both teams are currently undergoing intensive training at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba, Lagos, under the guidance of their respective coaches, John Uzor for the U-18 team and Adewunmi Agbola Shittu for the U-20 squad.
The U-20 team comprises players who made history last year by qualifying for the World Cup for the first time ever in Nigeria’s handball history while competing in the U-18 category. Notable names include Kehinde Babatunde of ASPAC HBC (Benin Republic) and her twin sister Taiwo Babatunde (Seasider Babes, Lagos), Esther Mathew (ADDIDJA HBC, Benin Republic) and Rahima Bello (KIRYATONO HBC, Israel).
The U-18 camp features several promising talents including Joy Omole (Rivers Queens), Islamiat Taiwo (Seasiders Babes) and Phoebe Oluwalade (Ekiti), among others.
For Coach Shittu, the tournament presents a familiar yet different challenge, having previously led the current U-20 players to a second-place finish at the IHF Women’s Trophy Intercontinental Phase in Tashkent, Uzbekistan last year when they represented Africa in the U-18 category.
“It is a new level experience as we haven’t played in the Junior category of the competition before now. We have the players who have participated in the Youth level of this competition but are motivated to do well in the Junior level and we will overcome despite it being a different experience,” Coach Shittu said.
Meanwhile, Coach Uzor has set ambitious targets for his U-18 squad, aiming to match or surpass the standards established by their predecessors who now form the U-20 team.
“We are entering into a big shoe worn by our elder sisters who are now in the U-20 category and we must maintain and even surpass their standards. We have the best crops of players picked from across the countries to do so and I believe we will overcome in Ivory Coast,” Coach Uzor said.
Both teams must emerge victorious at the zonal phase in Abidjan to secure qualification for the continental phase later this year.
The U-20 team features 21 players drawn from clubs across Nigeria and neighbouring countries, with RIMA Queens of Sokoto and Delta Force contributing the highest number of players.
