Cameroon is next port of call for four

FOUR Eastern Cape boys are off to Cameroon to play handball in a fournation tournament.

They leave with the other 14 members of the national U18 team today and return next Tuesday.

Lukhanyo Pana from Port Elizabeth, Lifa Nxopho of Port Alfred, Ayabulela Nomawule from Lusikisiki and Alice-based Sithembiso Booi were selected at the national club championships in Port Elizabeth and at the University Sport SA (USSA) games in Cape Town earlier in the year.

Handball EC congratulated the four saying they were proof of the emerging sport’s growth in the province.

Handball was introduced in the province some 20 years ago, said Handball EC vice-chair Zizo Papu, and having four members in the national team was a feat worth celebrating.

South Africa will take on all three of the other countries in the competition – hosts Cameroon, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Booi also will play for SA’s U20 team when they take on other five nations in the U20 International Handball Trophy next month in Johannesburg.

“We are proud that four of our own are to represent not only Eastern Cape but South Africa,” said Papu.

“This is proof that we have become a force in the sport that was introduced only 20 years ago.

“We wish our boys well because their inclusion in the national team is testament of the potential we have to grow the sport in the Eastern Cape.”

Papu said although the sport continued to grow in the province, a number of challenges hampered its progress, including lack of financial backing and the snail’s pace at which the sport was gaining popularity at school level.

In this regard, it was paramount to establish handball leagues in schools and in communities to unearth more talent that will rise to the national level.

To this end, Handball EC was engaging the likes of the EC Sport Confederation.

She was happy with the assistance they had received from an exchange that existed between the provincial department of sport, recreation, arts and culture and the German state of Lower Saxony, from which handball has benefited.