Handball Team Storms Mexico For World Tourney

The Nigeria Handball
Federation (HFN) yesterday in Lagos said players and officials of the national male junior team had secured entry visas into Mexico.
The (HFN) President, Yusuf Dauda, told newsmen that following visa procurement, the team’s 20-man contingent departed for the competition yesterday.
Newsmen reports that the team is to participate in the International Handball Federation (IHF) Inter-Continental World Challenge Trophy in Mexico scheduled for November 25 to 30.
“The contingent for the tournament will travel aboard with a Lufthansa  aircraft on Thursday.
“But everything is in good shape. The team has ended camping in Lagos and is now battle ready for the competition. They (players and officials) all have their visas confirming the trip,’’ Dauda said.
He applauded the National Sports Commission (NSC) for the team’s camping at the Army Sports Centre in Lagos.
“The team used the facilities at the Mobolaji Sports Centre at Yaba for training,’’ the federation president said.
Dauda described the team’s one-month camping in Lagos as the best the players and officials ever had.
“We never had such opportunity while preparing for the continental championships.
“The encouragement we got from NSC for the one-month camping cannot be over-emphasised. We lodged in a highly secured place and had training with good facilities.
“This is to say that the commission identified with the calibre of competition we are going for, which prompted them to give us the best in terms of preparation.
“We camped for only three days before our departure to Djibouti for the continental qualifiers. But in spite of other challenges, we emerged winners to qualify for this championships,’’ he said.
Dauda expressed confidence that the team would win the trophy, saying “I am optimistic that the boys will do what the Super Eagles did recently’’.