Handball team gears up for African Championships
Kenya's national youth handball team player Walter Nyongesa in action during a past training session. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |
What you need to know:
- Kenya, ranked 11th in Africa, is among the 12 nations from across the continent that will grace the biennial event set for January 21-26.
The national men’s handball team will take part in the 22nd edition of the Africa Nations Cup which will be held in Egypt early next year.
Kenya, ranked 11th in Africa, is among the 12 nations from across the continent that will grace the biennial event set for January 21-26.
Kenya qualified for the event courtesy of its ranking alongside Morocco, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon and Libya.
SECOND APPEARANCE
The team will be making only its second appearance at the games since first featuring in the 2004 event in Egypt where they finished ninth.
Kenya Handball Federation Fixtures Secretary Charles Omondi said the event will help the national team improve its ranking.
“We’ll use all the events we take part in to gain exposure and experience so that we can build a better team. We now need to prepare well for the competition,” Omondi said on Wednesday.
Kenya failed to go past the group stages during last month’s African Games held in Congo Brazzaville.
Only three countries have won the Cup of Nations. Tunisia, winners of the first edition, have won the title nine times. Algeria (seven) and Egypt (five) are the two other teams to have won the competition. Algeria beat Tunisia 25-21 on home soil to win the 2014 edition and will be firm favourites to retain the title. Other teams set to take part in the event include Angola, Cameroon, Congo and Nigeria.
Elsewhere, Kenya will be represented by six clubs at the East and Central Africa Club Championship in Rwanda from December 6 – 13. Men’s league champions NCPB, women’s champions Nairobi Water, Ulinzi (men and women), Black Mamba (men) as a university side will represent Kenya.
