The debut edition of the 'African Handball Confederation (CAHB) Zone 5 Member Countries Beach Handball Tournament and Training' event concluded in Tanzania on Monday (26 February) with great success in the East African nation.

From 22 to 26 February, in capital city Dar es Salaam, teams from Kenya (KEN), Tanzania (TAN) and Uganda (UGA) competed in the sporting action on the sand at Coco Beach.

The women’s competition saw four teams compete with the Uganda Police club joined by three home sides: Ngome Club, JKT Club and Victory. And it was a celebration for the host nation with JKT Club beating Uganda Police in their final round-robin match 8:6 via shoot-out to win the group and the title.

The visiting police team had taken the first set 11:10 thanks to a golden goal, but JKT came back strongly to take the second set 14:7 and then hold their nerve in the shoot-out.

“We started well and as the games progressed, my players impressed day-by-day. I got a lot of comfort and happiness when we won, it was exciting being at home and our fans were so emotional,” said Veronica Erias Mapunda, coach of JKT, to ihf.info.

“We have the challenge in Tanzania of getting Beach Handball equipment so we ask for all parties involved – the IHF, CAHB, TAHA – to continue helping us as we want to continue where we have left of here. Many Tanzanians have received Beach Handball well and want to fight for it to become the biggest sport here. I would like to express my sincere thanks to all who participated in organising this.”

In the men’s competition, Kenyan sides Kwale Kings Beach Handball Club and Kilifian Beach Handball Club were joined by Uganda’s Makerere University and home teams Ngome Club, JKT Club and Victory.

With a strong beach league behind them, the two Kenyan sides progressed through their groups and semi-finals to face off in the final and it was a tight affair.

Kwale took the first set by a single point (16:15), but were shell-shocked in the second, losing heavily (6:21). However, they regrouped in the shoot-out to win 3:2 and take the title back the 1,500km or so home.

Kenya’s strong Coast Queens Beach Handball Club (KEN) women’s team had been due in Dar es Salaam, alongside men’s and women’s teams from South Sudan’s Jubo City Club (SSD), but administrative issues meant they could not travel to Tanzania. Victory replaced Jubo City Club in the women’s event, while Tanzania’s Magnus School men’s side did not feature.

The motto of the event – 'Let's Build Beach Handball Together' – was in evidence off the sand too with referee, coach and delegate training courses running parallel in the classroom and on the sand.

Nearly 40 men and women from Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya were in attendance for the learning aspect of the event, including Bruno Johnson, Chair of Beach Handball at the Tanzania Amateur Handball Association (TAHA).

“This Zone 5 event has become very interesting because the Tanzanians met it with great interest,” he said to ihf.info. “We expect to continue this event in the future and use the methods and training learned during it to continue the process of promoting this game here in Tanzania.

“I would like to thank Titus Kesekwa for his support and dedication in planning and preparing the event and I appeal to the CAHB and IHF to continue to support us in any way.”

For Kesekwa, the event highlight what he knew already – that Beach Handball is growing well in Africa.

“Beach Handball is spreading very fast, like wildfire in Africa thanks to the IHF and the CAHB for the great support they are giving to the sport and our next edition will be bigger and better I believe,” he said to ihf.info.

“In fact, it is a new awakening in Africa for the game. Our main goal is to have our teams medal at a CAHB African Beach Handball Championship and IHF Beach Handball World Championship, so that's why every tournament we hold will conduct training alongside competition.

“In doing so, we empower our coaches, referees and delegates with knowledge about Beach Handball and they can then spread the word.

“I am ready, willing and on a mission to make sure Beach Handball in my zone (Zone 5) is popular. We are utilising the available resources to spread this beautiful game throughout our region. With the support of the CAHB President and the IHF President, who are willing and supporting Beach Handball we shall make this sport great. Nothing can stop Beach Handball.”

 

Men’s Competition

Ranking

1 Kwale Kings Beach Handball Club (KEN)

2 Kilifian Beach Handball Club (KEN)

3 Ngome Club (TAN)

4 JKT Club (TAN)

5 Makerere University (UGA)

6 Victory (TAN)

Results

Preliminary

Ngome vs Kwale 0-2
JKT vs Makerere 2-0
Victory vs Kwale  0-2
Kilifi vs Makerere 0-2
Kilifi vs JKT 2-0
Victory vs Ngome 2-0

Semi-Finals: Kwale vs JKT 2-0, Kilifi vs Ngome 2-0

3/4 Placement: JKT vs Ngome 0-2

Final: Kwale vs Kilifi 2-1 (16:15, 6:21, SO 3:2)

Women’s Competition

Ranking

1 JKT Club (TAN)

2 Uganda Police (UGA)

3 Ngome Club (TAN)

4 Victory (TAN)

Results

Round-Robin

JKT Club vs Victory 0-2
Uganda Police vs Victory 2-0
Ngome Club vs Uganda Police 0-2
Ngome Club vs JKT Club 0-2
Ngome Club vs Victory 2-0
Uganda Police vs JKT Club 1-2 (11:10, 7:14, SO 6:8)

About CAHB zones

According to the African Handball Confederation, the continent is split up into seven zones along geographical lines.

Each zone is a working body of the CAHB and has the mission of ‘working towards the development and promotion of handball in its geographical sphere’. All seven of the zones have a President, a sports commission of five members and the obligation to comply with the Statutes and Regulations of the CAHB.

Zone 5 covers the eastern part of Africa which includes Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Tanzania and Uganda plus Egypt.