Thodosia Sangoro: Handball maestro out to apply Midas touch in Egypt

National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) and Kenya men's handball team right back Thodosia Sangoro has made a name for himself on the handball court despite having excelled in football while at Pumwani Secondary School in Nairobi.

Sangoro has been capped 30 times for the national team. The right back also boasts 11 Kenya Handball Federation (KHF) National League titles with his club Cereals while alongside veteran coach Jack Ochieng, they have guided Nairobi Water to win 10 East and Central Africa Clubs championship (ECCA) titles and 12 National League titles. 

Sangoro doubles up as the assistant coach of Nairobi Water women's handball team.

Sangoro, 35 is one of the long-serving national team players in the current provisional squad of 24 players that is preparing for the upcoming Africa Senior Nations Cup set for January 17-27 in Cairo, Egypt.

The event will act as the Africa qualifying tournament for the World men's Handball Championship to be jointly hosted by Denmark, Croatia and Norway on January 9-27,2025.

The top five nations at the completion of the event will qualify for the competition. Kenya was pooled in tricky group "D" together with Angola, Tunisia and Nigeria.

Sangoro's handball journey was borne out of curiosity. While in Form Two at Pumwani, handball was introduced as a new sport in the school and Sangoro decided to give it a try. 

"I was a regular football player (winger) despite being in Form Two. We competed in school games and won couple of trophies. The sport was competitive and it attracted many students. It had many followers but when handball was introduced, I felt the urge to learn the new sport which was less crowded and was considered less-fancied. Looking back, I am glad I dropped football for handball.

"I have traversed the country and the world at large. Handball earned me a partial scholarship at Aquinas High School before I joined Catholic University of East Africa to study Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting," reveals Sangoro after a training session at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi on Monday.

"During school games in 2002, I played well and that's how Aquinas poached me a year later. I later crossed over in 2004 to Aquinas from Pumwani. While at Aquinas, Cereals sought my services and I would play for them when school was not in session. When I cleared school in 2005, I joined CUEA but on the side, I played for Cereals," added Sangoro, who received his senior national team call-up in 2008.

He vividly recalls his national team debut back in 2011 in Egypt and credits his longevity to the lessons he learnt during his professional stint in Denmark. 

"Previously I had competed in the age-group categories before I transitioned to the senior team. I didn't make the final cut in 2008 but in 2011, I made my first appearance for the national team during the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt and since then I have been a mainstay. It has been fulfilling to represent the country at that level.

"In 2010, I joined Astrup-Grenaa of Denmark for a professional stints and I must admit it's there that I learned discipline, self awareness and perseverance. I was attached to the team for one season, but the foundation was amazing and the values I picked there have kept me going. 

"It's an honour that at my age I'm still earning a national team call-up and that not only shows my capability but the trust that the technical bench have in me. That has really pushed me to go the extra mile in the training," says Sangoro, who is married to Nairobi Water and national team player Merina Andala.

Sangoro, who hails from Kilifi County, says the competition for places at right back is stiff and is optimistic he will make the cut for the Egypt assignment. Paul Ondara (Equity Bank),Nicholas Okore (Cereals) and Kevin Imo (Kenya Defence Forces) are the other players eyeing the two slots. 

"Only two players will be picked in that department and I have worthy competitors. However, I'm doing all that it takes to make it to the final squad. I think the coaching aspect works to my advantage when it comes to skills and composure but I might not be fit like some players in the squad but that's something that I can always work on. I have been there for a while and I know what to do," offers Sangoro, who was recently appointed national wheelchair handball team coach.

When asked if he will be quitting the sport soon, the Nairobi Water Company Revenue Supervisor said:

"It's something I'm thinking about. For instance, I had said that I will call it a day at the end of East and Central Africa championship last December in Nairobi, but after we defended the title, I went against my word and I'm keen to continue playing. The passion is there and I don't see myself retiring soon but time will tell," offered Sangoro. 

Having played for the national team for over 10 years with little success on the international front, Sangoro notes that the tide will not change if the team is not fielded in more events.

"We can't be doing the same things and expect different results, the national team does not get the exposure they deserve. Things would have been different if these players played many matches. For instance, the men's team last competed in the Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia in 2020. Since then, there has been no international event that the national team has participated in.

"We can't match our competitors. The best we have done is for the clubs, and not all of them feature in the East and Central Africa Clubs Championship that is hosted here. That can never be enough. There are clubs that have the resources to take their players to international events outside the country but they don't, and that has continued to pull us back," he offered.

Kenya finished 15th in the 2020 event that had attracted 16 teams as Egypt won the title.

Sangoro believes the current squad has what it takes to do better in future assignments if they remain together for some time. 

"It will be unfair for the team to be gauged only on the upcoming event. The team should be given time perhaps after African Games then people can begin to ask questions. It's a youthful side and you can tell they know what they want," asserted Sangoro. 

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