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Nokutenda Chiyangwa, Harare Bureau
THE Zimbabwe Handball Federation have picked two strong boys’ teams that will represent the country at the IHF Zone Six Challenge Trophy tournament which will be held in Lusaka, Zambia, in April.

This year’s IHF Zone Six Challenge Trophy tournament will run from April 24-28 in Lusaka and Zimbabwe will be sending a boys Under-19 and 21 team for this regional event which is set to feature teams from nine different countries from the Southern African Region.

And the ZHF vice-president, Alfos Mhondiwa, said yesterday they started making preparations for this event towards the end of last year and are convinced that they will bring the championship back to Zimbabwe.

“We’ve had two training camps so far – one in Kwekwe at the end of November last year and another one was held from January 25 to 29 this year in Kadoma.

“We are expecting to have another training camp in two weeks time at Kwekwe High School ahead of the teams departure for Lusaka,” Mhondiwa said.

The ZHF vice-president also said the boys Under-19 team will be under the guidance of Clemence Leonard who will be assisted by Tatenda Kahonde while Sipho Mhlangu will be in charge of the Under-21 side with Cephas Mushati as his assistant.

Tafadzwa Mkandabvute is the manager of the Under-21 team. Mhondiwa said both teams still need more camping period as a way of going the extra mile in their preparations for the Zambian event so that they can both emerge triumphant at the tournament.

He also said the budget for the training camps is difficult to acquire as they are getting contributions from different sources but the money is not enough.

“We still need more camping time and possibly a friendly match in order to gauge our strength before we take part in this tournament.”

Mhondiwa lamented the fact that they cannot use the Chitungwiza Aquatic Complex during their training camps because of high charges to access the facility.

In the previous edition of the Zone Six Challenge Trophy held in Johannesburg, South Africa, the Zimbabwe women’s Under-20 team got a bronze medal while the men’s side lost in the group stages.

Mhondiwa said for this year’s tournament, they are only going to send boys while the girls will compete in next year’s event.

Apart from taking part in the Zone Six Challenge Trophy, the ZHF are also looking at sending a number of junior teams to this year’s edition of the Partille Cup which will be held in Gothenburg, Sweden, from July 2-7. The Partille Cup is the world’s largest youth handball tournament and has been held in Gothenburg since 1970 and Zimbabwe have been part of this handball jamboree for the past seven years.

The ZHF have also been invited to send a junior team to Lubeck, Germany, for a two-week training camp ahead of this year’s Partille Cup.

Teams
Boys Under-21: Takunda Matiyashe; Eugine Pedro; Humphrey Chirwa; Malulengo Moyo; Tichaona Banda; Godfrey Maulana; Munyaradzi Mukarati; Clinton Sikupa; Russel Nyazamba; Brent Kanyore; Tanaka Makanga; Owen Mada; Ryan Munaki; Kelvin Makuyana;  Lot Ndlovu; Takudzwa Muroiwa; Eyenegi Fenyengenye; Hilton Chitsuro; Hlanganiso Bhenjah; Gareth Jenkins; Kelvin Munemo; Shelton Magamba.

Boys Under-19: Tanatswa Dzotizeyi; Charles Munyanyi; Patrick Dembo; Masimba Chibonda; Obert Phiri; Anesu Gadzikwa; Blessed Mukodza; Bekithemba Dube; Vivid Raza; King Khamalo; Rukudzo Janhi; Boangtsepo Mazhale; Brighton Ndimande; Tawanda Goriman; Bukhosi Sibanda; Vincent Mufuka; Munashe Mujuru; Tapiwanashe Mbwewe; Troy Chironga; Terrence Dick; Takudzwa Panavanhu; Tinei Tekere; Ronald Nala; Nigel Muzira; Tinashe Tavaya; Joel Daimani; Tatenda Ngandu.