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The Burotel Handal Federation of Nigeria (HFN) has officially started a lake training camp for national female handball teams U18 and U20 in preparation for the next zonal phase of the IHF female trophy. The tournament is scheduled to take place in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, from April 20 to 24, 2025.
The training is ongoing at the Rowe Park Sports Center, Yaba, Lagos, where both teams are subjected to rigorous sessions under the supervision of their respective chief coaches: John Uzor for team U18 and Adewunmi Agboola Shittu for the U20 team. This zonal competition marks the first stage in the Trophous Calendar for 2025 IHF women.
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The U20 team is composed of outstanding players of the historic U18 team that described Nigeria for the World Cup for the first time. The notable names include Kehinde Babatunde of Aspac HBC in Benin Republic and her twin sister Taiwo of Seasider Babes of Lagos, Esther Mathew (Addidja HBC) and Rahima Bello (Kiryatono HBC, Israel). The list also presents the Samuel sisters (Prudence and Priceus), Chidera Ogbusimba, Amina Mohammed and Joy Peters, all of Rima Queens, along with Damilola Akinlade Offivers Queens.
The U18 team is also being strongly formed with talented guests such as Omole Joy (Queens Rivers), Taiwo Islamiat (Seasider Babes) and Oluwalade Phoebe (Ekiti), among others extracted from academies and clubs in Nigeria.
The Shittu coach, who guided the U18 team before one second place in the intercontinental phase of the IHF female trophy in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, believes that this new challenge in the U20 category will offer a new learning curve for players.
“This is a different ball game. We are entering the Junior category for the first time, but we are sure. These girls have proven to be at the youth level, and I think they are ready to excel again,” he said.
Coach John Uzor shares a similar optimism for the U18 team, stating that they are determined to comply and overcome, the reference point established by the previous generation.
“We are entering the place of our ‘older sisters’ now in the U20. But with the talents we have gathered from the whole country, I think we can leave our own brand in Ivory Coast,” he said.
The victory in Abidjan is crucial, since both teams must win the zonal phase to progress to the continental stage at the end of this year.
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