The Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN) has made public a final list of players, that will represent the country at the upcoming 19th African Under-18 Women’s Handball championship, billed to hold in Monastir, Tunisia; from September 16 – 23, 2023.
According to the HFN the list was drawn by
Head Coach of the nation’s Under-18 Women’s team;
Shittu Adewunmi Agboola, after the team camped at the Rowe Park Sports Complex, in Yaba, Lagos.
The national Under-18 girls handball team had been undergoing intensive training camp at the Rowe Park Sports Center in, Yaba, Lagos under the tutelage of Coach Shittu and his assistant, Bayelsa Queens manager, Coach Opuene Roberts ahead of the continental championships.
Coach Shittu made his selection, from the eighteen (18) players he invited to camp, two weeks ago; and the bulk of the players formed the core of the team that participated and won the International Handball Federation (IHF) Trophy Africa, Zone 3 tournament in Accra; and the IHF Trophy Africa Continental Phase in Côte d’Ivoire.
Top of the list are captain Esther Matthew and the Babatunde twins from Seasider Babes of Lagos, Goalkeeper Precious Samuel, Prudence Onyinyechukwu Samuel and Bello Rahima of Rima Queens, Vera John of Bayelsa Queens and Damilola Akinlade of Delta Force amongst others.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Under-18 Women Handball team, on Monday defeated Aspac Handball Club of Benin Republic 24-21 in an international friendly, which the HFN said was a tune-up match for the ladies.
They will play another friendly match on today, but the witness has yet to be named.
The other players on the list are Amarachi Oparaugo from Imo Grasshoppers of Owerri; Joan Okolo of Delta Force of Asaba; and Lucy Onyekwere of Rima Queens of Sokoto.
Meanwhile, Coach Agboola who was drafted from Tojemarine Academy;
will be assisted by Opuene Roberts of Bayelsa Queens from Yenagoa.
