By Victor Kanayo
Nigeria’s U18 male handball team have set up an intensive camp in Lagos in preparation ahead of the IHF Inter-continental Championship scheduled for San Jose, Costa Rica.
The handball tournament organised by the International Handball Federation (IHF) is slated for March 6 and 11, 2023.
Nigeria, African champions in the same category, are participating in the championship for the second time in history after they finished second in the 2019 edition which held in Pristina, Kosovo.
In that edition, Nigeria lost narrowly to Chinese Taipei 27-26 in the final.
The Coach Emeka Nnamani tutored side will be playing in a round robin competition against the likes of Georgia, Guadaloupe, Nicaragua and Tahiti with the first match to be played on the March 8, 2023 against Nicaragua.
Nigeria had qualified for the IHF Trophy Intercontinental 2023 after defeating Guinea 37-36 in the final of the IHF Trophy Continental Phase which held in Brazzaville, Congo.
Before then, they played in the Africa Zone 3 tournament of the competition in Ivory Coast defeating other teams and they are unbeaten in the championship since losing to Chinese Taipei in Kosovo.
Already, the Nigerian tactician has invited 17 players who are presently undergoing preparation ahead of the championship.
The players are mostly those who played in the Africa Zone 3 and the continental phase of the championship.
