dyton mupawaenda
Collin Matiza-Sports Editor
IN a move which could help in uplifting the standards of handball in this country, local handball-playing schools and clubs have been invited to compete in the inaugural “South Africa Handball World Cup” in Cape Town early next year.
The tournament is the brainchild of Italy-based president of the Interamnia World Cup, Pier Luigi Montauti, and South African handball club, Thunderbolts Academy.
The event, which is open to youth teams aged 16 and over 21, has been slated to run from January 10 to 14, 2024, and Zimbabwean schools and clubs are free to participate in this five-day handball jamboree, according to Luigi Montauti.
In his invitation letter, which he recently posted on the Interamnia World Cup official website, Luigi Montauti, said registration for the tournament runs until November 20, 2023.
“We are pleased to inform you that as part of a beautiful friendship started with the South African managers of the Thunderbolts Academy club, also with the aim of further promoting handball in South Africa, we are organising — with their close collaboration and with the technical contribution of the South African Handball Federation, an international tournament called “South Africa Handball World Cup”, which will take place in Cape Town from 10 to 14 January 2024.
“The tournament was born in the wake of the socio-cultural legacy transmitted to the South African nation and the world by Nelson Mandela and, therefore, of his philosophy and his exemplary teachings.
“Youth teams — male and female — aged 16 to over 21 are invited to participate in the tournament.
We are pleased to invite Zimbabwean schools and clubs to consider participating in the tournament,” Luigi Montauti said in his invitation letter.
“This participation, in addition to providing an important sporting and human experience for your players, will contribute to providing precious support to our enthusiastic and tireless South African friends for the growth and affirmation of our sport in South Africa and their insertion into the international context.
“We are certain that you will duly evaluate our proposal and, in case of participation, that you will send us the attached registration form by November 20, 2023.
“Subsequently, at our invitation, you will have to complete the registration by paying the participation costs by December 5, 2023.”
Luigi Montauti is the president of the Interamnia World Cup, an annual handball tournament which is held in Italy during the first week of July in Teramo, Italy.
The Interamnia World Cup is one of the largest and most historic international youth handball tournaments for men and women and has been held for 50 years in Teramo, in Abruzzo, Italy.
Created in 1973 from a brilliant intuition of the patron, Luigi Montauti, the Cup involves young athletes from all over the world from five continents in the name of the highest ideals and values of sport, cultural exchange, social inclusion and territorial cohesion.
During the event, in every corner of the city, on the stage of the central field of Piazza Martiri della Libertà and on the other cultural sites of the city, a series of meetings, debates, exhibitions, representations, performances and concerts inspired by and coming from the nations sports twinning (Nepal, South Africa, Guatemala and Central America, Samoa and Polynesia, Northern Cyprus, Russia and Ukraine) which pay homage to the five continents, always under the banner of internationality and sport as a vehicle of cultural values and peace.
Harare’s Girls High School were the only team from Zimbabwe to participate in the Interamnia World Cup in Italy a couple of years ago.
And as for next year, Luigi Montauti has decided to come up with a pilot project which will see his organisation hosting a “South Africa Handball World Cup” in Cape Town in January.
He said after noticing that most teams from Africa were finding it difficult to find their way to Italy for the Interamnia World Cup, he has decided to bring “part of the tournament on your doorstep” by staging the “South Africa Handball World Cup” in Cape Town.
Online Reporter