The President of HFN, Samuel Ocheho said it took Nigeria approximately 33 years to qualify for her second World Handball Championship.
Ocheho stated this while highlighting his board achievements at the just concluded Prudent Energy Handball League in Lagos.
The ex international called on the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports support the dreams of the players who qualified for the respective world championships.
He revealed that the Nigeria Youth Handball team qualified for her first world championship since the inaugural edition in 2005.
“The Nigeria cadet and youth teams won bronze medals at the Africa Championships and you might wonder why we are celebrating bronze medals. The bronze medals qualify us to participate at the World Championships next year in Spain and Macedonia.
“The last time we went for the World Championships in the junior category was 33 years ago (1985) but these once are taking us again to the World platform”, the ex international said.
He further said, “Interestingly, all these players were not born the last time we went for this world championship. Since the youth category started in 1985, Nigeria has never qualified for the world championship; so these are the first set of people that are taking us to the world championship.
“We are calling on the ministry of sports that these young men must fulfil their dreams of playing at the World Championships. I am also appealing on the corporate world that these young men must go to their various world championships in Spain and Macedonia next year.
“I assure you that we will do our best to make sure Nigeria is represented and I believe that the representative of the minister will take this appeal to the minister to ensure these players fulfil their dreams”, Ocheho said.
