Handball: Mwathi recalls experienced duo for African Games duty
Strathmore University Handball Team Coach Peter Mwathi reacts on the touchline during Kenya Handball Federation Super Cup match against Kenyatta University played at Nyayo National Stadium on May 20, 2023.
What you need to know:
- Otuoma, who plays for Kenya Handball Federation National League champions National Cereals and Produce Board and Ingwela, who turns up for Equity Bank, failed to make the final cut during the African Handball Championship in Cairo in January
- Otuoma and Ingwela were part of the Kenyan team that finished last during the 2015 African Games in Brazzaville, Congo
- Kenya head coach Peter Mwathi said they will bank on experience as they seek an improved performance when the matches get underway on March 13 at the Borteyman Hall in Accra
Experienced pair of goalkeeper Victor Otuoma and left-back Rashid Ingwela have been recalled to the men's national handball team for next week's African Games in Accra, Ghana.
Otuoma, who plays for Kenya Handball Federation National League champions National Cereals and Produce Board and Ingwela, who turns up for Equity Bank, failed to make the final cut during the African Handball Championship in Cairo in January.
Kenya finished a distant 15th in the championship that attracted 16 nations. Hosts Egypt won the title.
Otuoma and Ingwela were part of the Kenyan team that finished last during the 2015 African Games in Brazzaville, Congo.
The event attracted 10 countries.
The duo is part of 12 players who began residential training at the Moi International Sports Centre Indoor Arena, Kasarani on Friday.
Kenya's men's team didn't participate in the 2019 edition in Casablanca, Morocco.
Kenya head coach Peter Mwathi said they will bank on experience as they seek an improved performance when the matches get underway on March 13 at the Borteyman Hall in Accra.
"These players have been there for a while and they know what to do. Luckily most of them were part of the team that recently competed in the African Championship in Egypt and therefore we hope that the experience and exposure they picked will come in handy in the games," said Mwathi, who doubles up as Equity Bank men's coach.
Kenya has been drawn in Pool "B" alongside Ghana, Benin and the Democratic Republic of Congo, while Egypt, Nigeria, Mali and Togo form Pool "A".
Kenya will start their campaign against Ghana on March 13 before they play Benin a day later.
The East Africans will complete their pool engagements with a match against Congo on March 17.
The top two teams in each pool will proceed to the semi-finals, while the remaining teams will play in the classification matches.
Team Kenya
Squad
Brian Murangiri
Nicholas Okore
Julius Chiunda
Maxwell Munene
Morgan Simiyu
Timothy Kirimi
Brian Wakukha
Victor Otuoma
Winston Chekai
Rashid Ingwela
Teddy Sidai
Kevin Imo
Coaches
Peter Mwathi
Brian Mathews
