Handball: 12 youngsters drafted in men's national team for African tourney

Twelve rookies have been drafted in Kenya men's handball provisional squad currently training at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi ahead of Africa Senior Nations Cup set for January 17 to 27 in Cairo, Egypt.

The event will serve as the Africa qualifying tournament for the 2025 World men's Handball Championship to be jointly hosted by Denmark, Croatia and Norway from January 9 to 27.

The top five nations at the completion of the event will book their place at the global competition.

A provisional squad of 24 players is currently in non-residential training under the stewardship of veteran coach Peter Mwathi and former Kenyan International Brian Mathews.

Mwathi is attached to Equity Bank while Mathews coaches the Kenya Handball Federation National League and East And Central Africa Handball Clubs champions National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB).

The 12 players are Equity Bank duo of Prevailer Muhani and Brian Murangiri, General Service Unit (GSU) pair of Christopher Mayende and Solomon Kibet.

Others are Robert Maranga, Morgan Simiyu, Ian Odhiambo, Snox Collins, Winston Chekai, Julius Chiunda, and Brian Wakhuka from NCPB and Kevin Imo is from Kenya Defence Forces.

Mwathi said the move to have more rookies in the team was to secure and guard the future performance of the sport.

"If you look at the squad you notice half of the players are new at this level and we are happy and excited to see how they will carry and conduct themselves should they make the final cut.

"The various players were outstanding for their respective clubs during the East and Central Africa Handball Clubs Championship that was held in Nairobi last December and we want to give them a chance and see what they've got when at the international stage. We have good players who lack exposure and experience and I believe this is a fair chance for them," said Mwathi after Saturday's morning training session at Nyayo National Stadium.

"We hope that we will start residential training soon as that will help the players gel. The senior players in the team among them Theodosia Sangoro, Nicholas Okore,Victor Otuoma and Timothy Kirimi have been helpful," he added.

Kenya will be returning to the event having last participated in the championship that was held in 2020 in Tunisia.

Kenya finished in 15th place in the event that had attracted 16 countries.

Kenya has been drawn in a tricky Pool "D" that has Tunisia, Angola and Nigeria.

The East Africans will take on Tunisia on January 17, battle Angola on January 19 before they play Nigeria a day later.

The top two teams in each pool will proceed to the quarter-finals.

Defending champions and hosts Egypt headline group "B" with Guinea, Cameroon and Congo while Morocco,Algeria, Gabon and Libya form Pool "C".

Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia and Rwanda are in Pool "A".

Provisional squad

(Equity Bank)Prevailer Muhani,Paul Ondara,Brian Murangiri, Rashid Ingwela, Maxwell Munene,Teddy Sidai and Simon Mutuku (General Service Unit) Christopher Mayende,Solomon Kibet and Nicholas Nyongesa (Cereals) Robert Maranga, Timothy Kirimi, Morgan Simiyu,Ian Odhiambo, Victor Otuoma, Snox Collins, Winston Chekai,Julius Chiunda, Nicholas Okore, Brian Wakhuka, Nicholas Oduor, Theodosia Sangoro and William Malui (KDF) Kevin Imo

Coaches

Peter Mwathi

Brian Mathews