Izuchukwu OkosiThe final batch of 18 Nigerian players travelling for the U-18 Men’s IHF Handball Trophy Intercontinental Championship in San Jose, Costa Rica left the shores of Nigeria Sunday evening.
The players rounded off their preparations at the Rowe Park Sports Centre with the first batch having departed on Saturday.
Many of the players were the core of the team that participated in the Africa Zone 3 tournament in Ivory Coast and the continental tournament in Congo Brazzaville.
Nigeria, who are the Africa champions in the U-18 male category, are participating in the championship for the second time in history after they finished second in the 2019 edition which held in Pristina, Kosovo. Nigeria lost slimly to Chinese Taipei 27-26 in the final.
READ ALSO: We Have Facilities To Host NUGA Games In 2024 – ABU Zaria
The Coach Emeka Nnamani tutored side will be playing in a round robin competition against the likes of Georgia, Guadaloupe, Nicaragua and Tahiti with the first match to be played on the March 8, 2023 against Nicaragua. The opening match of the championship will be between Nicaragua and Georgia on March 7.
Nigeria had qualified for the IHF Trophy Intercontinental 2023 after defeating Guinea 37-36 in the final of the IHF Trophy Continental Phase which held in Brazzaville, Congo earlier in the year.
Before then they played in the Africa Zone 3 tournament of the competition in Ivory Coast defeating everyone and they are unbeaten in the championship since losing to Chinese Taipei in the 2019 edition of the Intercontinental championship in Kosovo.
Final list of players for IHF Trophy Intercontinental Championship in San Jose, Costa Rica are:
Kareem Faruk
Kuti Akorade
Sulaiman Azeez
Faloki Christian
Obabori Samuel
Mukiala Fuad
7.! Mohammed Mustapha.
Shagari John.
Sulaiman Sani
Tahir lawal
Ajibike Kareem
Ojo Oluwagbanga
Isiyaka Mustapha.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
Follow Us