Ahead of the 10th edition of the U-18 Women’s Handball Championship in China, coach of Nigeria’s U-18 Women’s handball team, Adewunmi Shittu, says his side is motivated to give a good account of themselves, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The championship is scheduled to take place from August 14 to 25 in Chuzhou, with Nigeria making its debut after several failed qualification bids.
Nigeria are lodged in Group B alongside European giants Croatia, Montenegro, and Angola, who fell to coach Agboola’s side in the third-place match of the 2023 Africa U-18 Women’s Handball Championship in Monastir, Tunisia.
With preparation set to hit full swing, Shittu, who guided the team to a second-place finish at the IHF Trophy series, while penning a heartfelt appreciation message to the board of the Handball Federation of Nigeria for all of the support thus far said his side were motivated ahead of the championship.
“As we approach the end and final phase of the Nigeria national youth (U-18) stage, we would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to the board of HFN and its members for their support, encouragement and selfless commitment to the successes of the U-18 Female team, all these superb achievements are specially dedicated to you all, most especially the president of HFN Sam Ocheho,” the message read in part.
“As we sojourn to the IHF Female U-18 World Cup, China, with the Nigeria flag, hopes and dreams of our teeming fans and population all behind us, we are fully motivated to give it a memorable tournament and remarkable outing.”
Nigeria’s U-18 women’s handball team qualified for the World Championship for the first time after defeating Morocco in the quarter-finals of the Africa U-18 Women’s Handball Championship in Monastir Tunisia last year.
They lost to Egypt in the semi-finals but finished third in the Nations Cup after defeating Angola in the third-place match.
The team comfortably dominated the IHF Women’s Trophy in the Africa Zone 3 phase and continental phase in Ghana and Congo Brazzaville respectively before losing to Kosovo in the final of the IHF Women’s Trophy Intercontinental Phase in Uzbekistan to finish second in the global championship.