The Sunday Mail
Tariro Charundura
Zimbabwe Handball Federation chairperson Farai Gwisai is excited with the increasing number of women’s teams in the local league.
A total of 16 teams are expected to participate in the upcoming league, an increase from last year’s four; following ZHF’s directive for all teams to have female sides.
The 2017 handball league begins on June 3. “It is now mandatory for every male team to have a female team because of previous records where a few female teams were present at the league,” Gwisai told The Sunday Mail on the sidelines of the Open Season tournament held at Queen Elizabeth School last weekend.
Yadah, Falcon and Manyame Air Force dominated the proceedings in the female competition and are expected to shine again in the 2017 league whose outcome will be used to select national team players for International Senior Handball Federation Championships set for Cape Town in September. “The results of the league will be used to select the national team which will go to Zambia and Cape Town later this year for the International Senior Handball Federation championships.”
Morgan Zintec, Chitungwiza, University of Zimbabwe, Girls High, Harare Polytechnic, Houghton Park Sharks and Seke Teachers College are some of the teams that have confirmed their participation in the 2017 league.
“Preparations for the league are already at an advanced stage as most teams are now ready. “The handball Open Season tournament which ended recently gave the teams a reflection on what they need to work on and how they need to improve,” said Gwisai. The ZHF chairperson also spoke about the Cape Town International Handball Federation Championships.
“This time we are expecting more countries to participate because of the wide coverage that handball has been getting lately.” he said.
The last IHF Zone Trophy tournament in Johannesburg attracted six countries – Malawi, Mozambique, Lesotho, Zambia, Zimbabwe and the hosts South Africa.
