Coach Abubakar Sanusi has expressed satisfaction over Sokoto’s recent victory at the just-concluded U-12, U-15 National Handball Championships held at the Gingiya Memorial Sports Complex in Sokoto State.
Sokoto defeated Gboko Dream, Abia and Kebbi teams to win the U-12 girls, U-15 boys and girls titles, but lost the U-12 boys’ title to Kaduna.
Speaking to The Guardian yesterday, an elated Coach Sanusi commended the state government for her commitment to handball, adding that the passion for the sport expressed by Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal spurred the team to victory.
“We fought hard for the victory to justify Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal’s commitment to the game. He has been a source of encouragement to the teams in the state.
“We had to prepare very well for the competition because we knew other teams coming for the handball contest would have equally prepared well for it. We are lucky that states like Lagos and Niger that would have provided serious challenge could not make it due to the insurgency in the country,” he said.
According to Coach Sanusi, Sokoto “has shifted focus to qualifying for the National Youth Games in handball slated for Kwara State in September, but we have to first qualify from the Birnin Kebbi zone, which comprises Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kano, Katsina, Kaduna and Jigawa before we think of playing there.
“I believe, Insha Allah, we will qualify and also make impact just as we did at the one we hosted recently. The championship we hosted was not an easy one because we had tough challenge from other states.”
