KU men seal return to Super Cup handball event
Nairobi Water's Jane Waithera (right) shoots against Nanyuki during their Kenya Handball Federation National League match on November 21, 2021 at Nyayo National Stadium.
What you need to know:
- NCPB women's team manager Edina Kasandi said they have played second fiddle to Nairobi Water and KDF for a long time and the script will have to change next season.
- “We have no choice but to recruit new players ahead of next season. I know we can do better if we put the right mechanisms in place, ”said the official.
- The women’s competition will be played in a round robin format.
Kenyatta University (KU) men’s team defied all odds to make a comeback to next year’s Super Cup as the Kenya Handball Federation (KHF) National League concluded on Sunday at the Nyayo National Stadium.
The Super Cup competition brings together the top six men and four women’s sides at the completion of the regular KHF season.
KU coach Tobias Ochola acknowledged that it was a milestone for the team that had struggled to assemble players for training due to school commitment to qualify for the event.
“It has not been easy. Many players had to sacrifice and I’m happy that their sacrifices had paid off. We last played in the Super Cup in 2015 and making a comeback is humbling. We want to prepare ourselves well and hopefully, our presence will be felt. I’m super happy for the lads,” said Ochola.
The varsity side finished sixth with 24 points from 18 matches in the 19-team league.
Champions National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) (34), Strathmore University (32), Black Mamba (32), General Service Unit GSU (30) and Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) (28) are the other teams that booked their slots for the Super Cup.
KU have been drawn against Strathmore University and GSU in pool ‘B’, while NCPB, Black Mamba and KDF form pool ‘A’.
In the women’s category, back-to-back champions Nairobi Water (28), KDF (24), NCPB (18) and newcomers Nanyuki(17) qualified for the event having played 14 matches in the 8-team league.
NCPB women's team manager Edina Kasandi said they have played second fiddle to Nairobi Water and KDF for a long time and the script will have to change next season.
“We have no choice but to recruit new players ahead of next season. I know we can do better if we put the right mechanisms in place, ”said the official.
The women’s competition will be played in a round robin format.
