Zim to host IHF Trophy Zone Six

ALTHOUGH it was a disappointing year for national handball teams after failing to make it for continental events, junior teams have something to look forward to in the coming year after the Zimbabwe Handball Federation were given right to host next year’s IHF Challenge Trophy Zone Six.

Zimbabwe submitted their bid early in the year and recently got a positive response as they were given the greenlight by the African Handball Confederation (CAHB) to stage the event next year.

The regional tournament for the youth and junior teams is scheduled to take place in April.

ZHF secretary-general Edison Chirowodza said they have engaged the Sports Commission and the Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Ministry on the way forward.

“We have received feedback on the IHF Trophy for Zone Six and Zimbabwe has been given the onus to host the tournament. So we have made our communication to the superiors, SRC and the Ministry on how we go forward with this hosting opportunity.

“There is a positive response and support from their side. So far we just await final confirmation letter from the director-general (of the Sports Commission), which probably should be ready anytime as it was not yet signed during the holidays though we are hosting.

“And we are working towards preparations towards hosting this regional event that is going to feature Under-18 male youth and also Under-21 junior for males again,” Chirowodza said.

The local handball motherbody have indicated they are considering the Chitungwiza Aquatic Complex and City Sports Centre as venues for the event. The women’s competition was held this year in June in Zambia and Zimbabwe fielded both the youth and junior sides. But they both could not make the top three, finishing fifth and fourth respectively.

Earlier in the year the senior teams had found the going tough during the African Games qualifiers held in the same country when they failed to qualify for the main event held in Morocco.

However, Chirowodza said they remain confident of the future.

“So this is a positive development for Zimbabwe and also an opportunity for our players to qualify for the World Youth and Junior Championships as they play at their home ground. So that is another positive development that has happened to us in 2019.

“In 2020 we look forward to improve and also to have new developments take place in the federation and that includes our participation in the IHF Trophy and also looking forward to qualify for that tournament for the World Junior and Youth Championships,” said Chirowodza.

ZHF have engaged a Swiss coach Rolf Haussener to help them with their junior men’s teams and he has been in the country on several occasions for periodic camps with the team since last year.

He is working with local coaches and is expected to be in the country in February next year for another camp with the players, which will also be an opportunity to check on the progress made.

Chirowodza said they are now looking at coming up with the same set-up for the women’s junior teams as well.

“Vision 2024 and our partnership with the Swiss Embassy and also our engagement of the Swiss coach is going on well and it is on course. We have managed to have all our camping going on quite well, some with the foreign based coach (Haussener) and also some with the local coaches.

“We expect the Swiss coach to be in the country early February for more training camps although the team is going to camp again in January with local coaches.

“We are also looking forward to have a longterm project for a female junior national team just like the male vision 2024 team. We want to do the same for the ladies team, so that we also focus much on national teams doing well at regional and international levels,” Chirowodza said.

ZHF technical director Farai Gwisai said hosting the regional tournament is good development for the sport.

“First and foremost it gives confidence to the players and it has been long since we hosted the tournament. We only had the opportunity to host it once in 2010.

“Our teams are on course in terms of preparations. The Under-18 selection was done and they have been having periodic camps. The Under-21, they are being coached by an expert from Switzerland, so I can safely say that the team is ready to compete and we are targeting anything around silver or above,” said Gwisai.