adminFrom Collin Matiza in HAMBURG, Germany
MASHRHINO, a junior handball select side from Mashonaland West Province in Zimbabwe, will this week enter the second and final leg of their 16-day sport and cultural exchange programme in which they are training and playing with several German teams dotted around here.
A team of seven boys and five girls, picked from a number of high and primary schools in Mashonaland West Province in Zimbabwe, arrived here on Easter Friday (April 3) for this programme which is being arranged and co-ordinated by the Hamburg Handball Association of Germany.
The programme, which is also being facilitated by the GeBe Foundation, a German non-profit organisation which has links with a number of sport associations here in Germany and has a branch in Cape Town, South Africa, is aimed at developing the talents of these young handball players who were identified by the Mashonaland West Handball Association of Zimbabwe.
The seven boys and five girls from the Mashonaland West Province, who are currently on this sport and cultural exchange programme in Hamburg, are Nathaniel Moyo, Makhosi Mugoba, Siwellogyn Gwembere, TawedzeraMada, Anastancia Manuwere, Mitchel Ngunga (all from Conway College in Mount Hampden).
Ryan Munaki, Tanatswa Dzotizeyi, Runyararo Tizora (all from Zvimba’s Kutama College), Winnie Machipisa (Martindale Primary School between Norton and Chegutu), Charmaine Gororo (Sanyati Baptist School) and Anesu Bonomali of St Francis Roma High School in Chegutu.
These young players, who are under the guidance of coaches Alfos Mhondiwa of the Mashonaland West Handball Association and Norman Mkondiwa, a school teacher from Kutama College, first took part in the Hanse Cup tournament upon their arrival in Hamburg on April 4 and 5.
The Hanse Cup is an annual handball tournament designed for the Under-15 and 17 age-groups from Denmark, France, the Netherlands and the hosts Germany and it attracts more than 500 players from 50 clubs drawn from these four European countries.
And the Mashrhino team made history during the Easter Holidays when they became the first team from Africa and outside Europe to take part in this big junior handball tournament which is organised annually by one of Germany’s top handball clubs HSV Bergedorf of Bergedorf in Hamburg.
After competing in the Hanse Cup, the Mashrhino players were then engaged in a busy schedule for the whole of last week which saw them visiting and training with a number of junior handball clubs in Hamburg who are affiliated to the Hamburger Handball Association.
They also had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of watching a men’s high profile German Bundesliga handball match between HSV Handball and FA Goppingen which the former side won 30-29 in front of a huge a crowd of about 10 000 people at the famous 02 Arena here in Hamburg last Monday night.
On Saturday, the Mashrhino team were taken to the Germany capital city Berlin, a four-hour train ride from Hamburg, for a tour of this famous place for more than two hours.
They had a relaxed and entertaining tour around the most important sights in Berlin where they were shown the border crossings, remainders of the Berlin Wall, successful and tragic escape attempts and the magic moments of the fall of the Berlin Wall some 25 years ago.
They were also taken for the famous tour of Berlin on bikes.
Yesterday was a rest day for the Mashrhino team but this week will see them continuing with their busy training schedule and it involves practising and playing games with several top German junior handball clubs including ATMV, HSV Hamburg and BSV.
They will also be involved in a “goodbye” tournament at Bamberk on Saturday before returning home the next day on Sunday April 19.
Online Reporter