Handball team for Maputo tourney named

Collin Matiza Sports Editor
THE Zimbabwe Handball Federation have named a strong 15-member senior men’s national team that will take part in Mozambique’s 40th Independence celebrations in Maputo on Thursday.

The team, which will be under the guidance of seasoned coach Allan Mandeya of Mutare, is made up of several players from teams that featured in last season’s Handball Premier League and went into camp in Harare at the weekend.

Amon Madzvamuse, the ZHF president, said they were recently invited by Mozambique, the current Region 5 handball champions, to send their men’s and women’s national teams to an invitational tournament which will be part of that country’s 40th Independence celebrations on Thursday.

“All Region 5 countries (formerly Zone Six) have been invited to take part in this tournament and our men’s senior national team went into camp on Saturday at Girls High School in Harare to start their preparations for this event.

“For the women’s team, we have decided to send Danhamombe from Masvingo and the two teams will be leaving for Maputo by road on Wednesday. We have also included in the (men’s) team four promising young players, Brian Gwenjere, Farai Mukudu, Obey Makurudzo and Kudakwashe Mahachi, who will be part of the travelling group as we would like them to gain the much-needed international exposure at this tournament.

“We have also selected players from almost every club that is playing in our Premier Handball League and this is quite a strong team which I’m convinced will do well at this invitational tournament in Mozambique.

“The women’s team from Danhamombe is also strong and they have been in camp since last week, preparing for this short tour of Mozambique,” said Madzvamuse, who recently survived “a coup” at ZHF.

Apart from Zimbabwe and the hosts Mozambique, some of the Region 5 countries that are expected to send teams to this tournament are South Africa, Swaziland, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Zambia and Malawi.

Madzvamuse also said they have accepted an invitation from the GeBe Sports Foundation, a German non-profit making organisation that has a branch in Cape Town, South Africa, to send a number of junior teams for another invitational tournament that is scheduled to take place in the Mother City during the second week of August.

“In fact, I’ve already discussed this issue with Beauty Mtsambiwa, the headmistress of Girls High School in Harare who is also in charge of schools handball in the ZHF, and we agreed that we should send a boys and a girls team to this invitational tournament in Cape Town in August.

“We will soon be announcing the teams or schools that will take part in this tournament,” Madzvamuse said.

The GeBe Sports Foundation, in partnership with the Young Masters Handball Club and Western Cape Handball Association, who are both based in Cape Town, are the organisers of this tournament.

Bernd Wulffen, the director and founder of the GeBe Sports Foundation, said they have invited other junior teams from Mozambique, Swaziland, Botswana and Lesotho to take part in this tournament.

They are also hosting a C-licence coaching introduction course which will be conducted by an instructor from Germany during the same tournament in Cape Town.

The Zimbabwe senior

men’s handball team

Percyledge Samugadza (Houghton Park Sharks), Innocent Botman (Black Rhinos), Tafadzwa Takura (Thunderbolts), Ian Gono (Thunderbolts), Tafadzwa Madure (Houghton Park Sharks), Tatenda Makawa (Thunderbolts), Tafadzwa Mombeshora (Midlands State University), Johnson Chavata (Manyame Falcons), Obey Makurudzo (Big Elephants Club), Busani Zulu (Black Rhinos), Eddie Musanhu (Thunderbolts), Brian Harry (Manyame Falcons), Tinotenda Machakaire (Manyame Falcons), Rody Makweche (Shanana), Levy Zitsanza (Shanana).

Technical director: Allan Mandeya

Team manager: Joana Takafuma

Head of delegation: Josiah Sithole

Goalkeepers coach: Thembani Nkala

Danhamombe women’s team

Faith Karisa, Everjoy Sithole, Konai Muzanago, Patricia Makusha, Barbara Nzara, Moleen Tanyaradzwa Makunike, Leonel Tirivavi, Ruvarashe Matsvayi, Sifikile Ndlovu, Thembekile Nhliziyo.

Coaches: Beatrice Ncube, Josiah Sithole.