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Ngqabutho Moyo Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Handball Federation has selected a 20-member provisional squad that will represent the country at the upcoming Region Five Africa Challenge Trophy in Zambia in September.The team which will be later trimmed down to 16 travelling players, held its second periodic training camp at Northlea High School in Bulawayo on  July 11.

A total of seven nations including Zimbabwe will compete in the tournament. These are South Africa, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Swaziland, Botswana and Lesotho.

This is the second time the country is competing in the developmental tournament for Southern African nations which is funded by the International Handball Federation.

In their last participation in the same tourney in South Africa in 2012, the Zimbabwean boys finished third and were awarded a bronze medal.

The team’s head coach Farai Gwisai said the youth team was picked during last year’s National Youth Games in Bulawayo.

He said the final preparatory training camp would be held in Harare a week before the team’s departure for Zambia.

“We will have our last periodic camp in the capital where the team will be trimmed down to 16 players who will make the trip to the neighbouring country on August 30,” he said.

Gwisai said doors were still open for new players with additions expected after the Masvingo Youth Games.

“There is no way we can leave a good player behind, we will be sending scouts to Masvingo to identify good players that we will assess in our last periodic camp before we travel to Zambia in August,” he said.

The junior team mentor said the team comprised players drawn from various clubs, schools and universities around the country.

Ian Gono, Philip Munyaradzi, Edmond Musanhu, Tatenda Makawa, Tinashe Sitima, Tafadzwa Takura, Tineyi Kadema (Harare), Claudius Matemba (Midlands), Alfred Mapeto (Mashonaland Central), Kudakwashe Chamboko (Manicaland), Blessing Bere (Mashonaland East), Mukunzi Tatenda (Manicaland), Guwanda Munashe, Soganile Nkosikhona (Matabeleland South) and Kudakwashe Koffie (Midlands) are some of the players in the provisional squad.