Handball: Tough assignment awaits Strathmore in regional club championships

HANDBALL KENYA CUP Strathmore University's Jack Maloba (left) is challenged by Nixon Oyaro of Ulinzi during the Kenya Handball Federation Super Cup at Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday, April 2, 2017. [PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO/STANDARD]

The Black Mamba and Strathmore University handball teams have confirmed participation in the East and Central Africa Handball Club Championships. The games will be held in Dar es Salaam next month.

Defending champions Nairobi Water, National Cereals and Produce Board (both men and women) and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) men's team have been invited to the regional competition but are yet to confirm their participation.

Nairobi Water did not take part in this year’s continental club championships, but team manager Caroline Kusa remains hopeful they will defend the title they won last year if they do travel to Tanzania.

“We want to see how things work out. If all goes well, we will be going to defend our title. We just hope for the best ahead of this assignment,” she said.

Mamba, who won the domestic league in 2012, have never missed an edition of the regional tournament. Their best performance was a runner-up finish last year, when they lost to hosts Police of Rwanda in Kigali.

On the other hand, Strathmore will be seeking their first regional title following a splendid season in which they comfortably defended the Kenya Universities Sports Associations (Kusa) national games title.

Apart from the Kusa title, the team, led by Peter Mwathi, toppled KDF from the helm to win their maiden Super Cup title, which came with a chance to represent the country in the continental club championships. However, they were unable to raise the required funds.

“We had a good season no doubt, and I hope the boys will extend the good run in the regional competition. This will be a big one for us,” said Mwathi. [Rebecca Jebet]