The heartbeat of Nigerian handball is echoing once again from the courts of Lagos, where the future of the nation’s women’s game is being carefully sculpted.
With sights set on international glory, the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN) has kicked off an intensive training camp at Rowe Park Sports Center, Yaba, in preparation for the IHF Women’s Trophy Zonal Phase, slated for 20-24 Apri, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
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Both the U18 and U20 national women’s teams are undergoing rigorous training under seasoned coaches, with a mix of fresh talent and proven stars ready to don the green and white.
For Nigeria, this is more than just preparation; it’s a mission to dominate the zone and take yet another stride on the global stage.
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A new era begins at Rowe Park
The training camp, which commenced earlier this month, is being spearheaded by Coach John Uzor (U18) and Coach Adewunmi Shittu (U20).
Both tacticians bring with them a wealth of experience and a burning desire to maintain Nigeria’s upward trajectory in international handball.
This zonal tournament in Abidjan serves as the first qualifying phase in the 2025 IHF Women’s Trophy calendar.
Victory is non-negotiable for both teams if they are to move on to the continental stage later this year.
U20 Team: From World Cup wonders to Junior contenders
The U20 squad is brimming with familiar faces; young stars who lit up the courts during their historic run at the U18 level, where they qualified Nigeria for the Handball World Cup for the very first time.
The key players include Kehinde Babatunde (ASPAC HBC, Benin Republic) and her twin Taiwo Babatunde (Seasider Babes, Lagos), Esther Mathew (ADDIDJA HBC), Rahima Bello (KIRYATONO HBC, Israel)
The energetic Samuel sisters (Prudence and Precious), Chidera Ogbusimba, Amina Mohammed, and Joy Peters from RIMA Queens, and Damilola Akinlade of Rivers Queens are all in camp.
Their coach, Adewunmi Shittu, who previously led the U18 team to a silver medal at the Intercontinental Phase in Uzbekistan, believes the time is ripe to transition into a new chapter.
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“This is a different ball game. We’re stepping into the Junior category for the first time, but we are confident. These girls have proven themselves at the youth level, and I believe they’re ready to excel again,” Coach Shittu stated.
U18 Team: Hungry to create own legacy
As the U20 squad evolves, the U18 team is undergoing its own evolution, with a fresh crop of rising stars assembled from clubs and academies across the country. Among the standout invitees are:
Omole Joy (Rivers Queens), Taiwo Islamiat (Seasider Babes), and Oluwalade Phoebe (Ekiti).
These athletes are not just filling in; they are driven by a desire to leave their own mark.
Coach John Uzor, who oversees the U18 camp, is brimming with optimism stating:
“We’re stepping into the shoes of our ‘senior sisters’ now in the U20s. But with the talents we’ve gathered from across the country, I believe we can make our own mark in Côte d’Ivoire.”
Eyes on Abidjan: A must-win mission
The stakes are high. Only the zonal champions will earn the right to move on to the next stage of the IHF Trophy campaign. For Nigeria, a handball powerhouse in the making, anything less than victory will be a disappointment.
But with the level of preparation, talent, and belief being cultivated in Lagos, Nigeria’s hopes of emerging from Abidjan triumphant are anything but misplaced.
The road to international handball greatness begins now; and these rising queens are ready to take their throne.
