The final Kenyan squads for this week’s International Handball Federation (IHF) Trophy Africa Zone Five Under-20 and Under-18 events have been released.
The U-20 men’s championship will be staged at the Ulinzi Sports Complex in Lang’ata, while the U-18 boys’ event will go down at the Nyayo National Stadium from October 25 to 30.
Kenya will battle Ethiopia, Uganda, Somalia, Burundi, Sudan, Tanzania, Eritrea, Rwanda and Djibouti in the two competitions.
Kenya U-18 coach Gerald Abunde said that the team has settled well and is ready for the competition.
“The few weeks have been vigorous, but I’m happy that we have all the 14 players. The residential training from last Thursday has been helpful. The players have gelled and we are just tightening the loose ends,” said Juma, who is attached to former National Secondary School Games champions Mbooni Boys Secondary School from Makueni County.
Juma is confident the team will improve on its 2018 performance where it finished fourth in Uganda.
“We have a strong squad that is capable of causing an upset. If we put our act together then we have the chance to proceed to the next phrase. We had 16 players in the training, but we dropped two ahead of the competition,” Abunde added.
Emmanuel Wafula and Samual Karani were the two who were dropped.
The top teams in each category will proceed to the continental phase of the IHF Trophy Africa scheduled for December 12-18.
Kenya’s U-18 team has been drawn in a relatively easy pool “B” together with Ethiopia, Djibouti and South Sudan, while pool “A” has Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi and Somalia.
Kenya will begin their title campaign against Djibouti on Tuesday, play South Sudan on Wednesday and complete their group matches with a tie against Ethiopia on Thursday.
In the U-20 category, the hosts have landed in pool “A” that has Uganda, South Sudan and Burundi, while Pool “B” has Rwanda, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somalia.
Kenya will face off with Burundi on Tuesday, battle South Sudan on Wednesday and play Uganda on Thursday.
The two two teams in each pool will proceed to the semi-finals.
Kenya are the defending champions in the U-20 category after they defeated Ethiopia 22-17 in the final, while they placed fourth in the U-18 event behind Ethiopia, Uganda and eventual winners Rwanda.
Kenya last hosted the event in 2012.
Squads
Under-18
Joshua Kilongi, Derrick Simiyu, Richard Mayindo, Yusuf Phiona, Douglas Ngichabe, Mathew Kiprop, Geoffrey Kimutai, Derrick Mwathi, Isidone Mwendwa, Alex Mwanzia, Bosco Ngumi, Ezra Omoiti, Emmanuel Okoth and Paul Ndeva
Coach: Gerald Abunde, Assistant coach: Andrew Owino
Under-20
Dimitrize Konya, Andrew Obukui, Eshistone Situma, Samuel Barasa, Phillip Lutengeya, Paul Opiyo, Joshua Kiplagat, Douglas Wekesa, Alvin Nyongesa, Elphas Kiprono, Kevin Masinde, Meshack Mutinda, Drake Obindi and Andrew Juma.
Coach: Brian Mathew, Assistant coach: Theodosia Sangoro BY DAILY NATION