adminEllina Mhlanga
Senior Sports Reporter
AS Zimbabwe’s Under-20 team shifts focus to the African Championships, the Zimbabwe Handball Federation says they will leave no stone unturned to ensure the team is in a good position to compete with some of the best on the continent.
The junior team will be competing at the continental show-piece for the first time after finishing tops at the International Handball Federation Trophy Zone VI a week ago.
The continental show-piece that will feature both Under-20 and Under-18 teams is acting as a qualifier for the World Youth and Junior Cup expected to take place next year.
Only the top team from the continental event will progress to the next stage.
ZHF secretary-general, Edson Chirowodza, said the team will proceed with their periodic camps just like they did in their build-up to the regional competition.
They are also looking at engaging Zambia and Mozambique for friendly matches.
“The progress made by the youth and junior teams is very positive. We are happy that we have achieved and attained a status which has also made history in handball for Zimbabwe. So this is quite an impressive performance exhibited by both teams.
“I think it is also attributed to our continuous effort in terms of training and preparations. We never rested in working towards this achievement and it is also a good thing that we have qualified for the African Championships, a qualifier for the World Youth and Junior tournament with the Under-20 team.
“Our plans from here going onwards is to continue training, keeping the team together and focusing on the next competition. So we will proceed with our periodic camps as well as organise some friendly matches with other countries in the region.
“We are mainly targeting Zambia and Mozambique. Mozambique are also a good contender although they did not make it for the tournament. I am sure they will give us good practice towards the preparation for the continental games,” said Chirowodza.
While the youth team missed qualification when coming second behind Zambia, the national association is hoping to build on the positives going forward so that the junior teams feed into senior national teams. “Going forward we are also going to establish and keep these players together so that we grow them into senior men just like we did with the current senior men, they started as Under-18, Under-20 and we kept them together through vision 2024.
“So definitely we will carry forward with this plan of having a long-term national team development for the senior men and women, also building from these youngsters.”
Chirowodza said they are yet to get the actual dates for the African Championships but they are likely to take place before the end of the year in Togo.
“The continental championship is set for Togo and tentatively in December, though we are yet to get confirmation as to which actual dates it will take place as other zones are still playing their qualifying tournaments,” said Chirowodza. Speaking after the regional tournament, Under-20 coach, Cephas Mushati, said there are some areas they need to improve ahead of the continental event.
“We need to work on our defence, tactics, so that we won’t concede too many goals. We are going to work with these guys so that they can stand the pressure,” said Mushati.
Mushati said being their first appearance at the African Championships, their focus is for the players to get the much-needed international exposure and experience of competing at such tournaments.
Online Reporter