Players in Kenya are gearing up for the 2022 Africa Junior and Senior Championships, set to be held in Togo in March, following the success of their national beach handball league’s inaugural season.
Ahead of the event, the country’s top four men’s and women’s teams will face-off in the national finals in Mombasa on March 13th. Both divisions have been fiercely competitive since the season began in October 2021, and the playoffs are expected to be no different.
The men’s league especially has been incredibly close, with 28 of the 36 games played throughout the season ending with a shootout. Ahead of the finals, the first placed Pwani University was leading by only two points, while the second and third placed teams, Saints Handball Club and Whitehouse Voi, were tied.
Titus Kesekwa, the coach and technical director of Kenya Beach Handball, said the nation’s top players are now looking forward to not only the African Championships in March, but also the Beach Handball World Championships, which will be held from June 21-26 in Crete, Greece.
“It is our dream to compete in the world championship. That the dates for the championship have been confirmed by IHF is not only a motivation to us but also for the entire East Africa,” Kesekwa said.
He added that the league’s first season has not only given local players the chance to hone their skills, but also brought new fans to the sport.
“Our league attracted people from all over the coast and the country at large. Many more are starting to embrace the sport and that’s encouraging. Like on Saturday, the venue was packed to capacity as many people came to watch the games,” he said.
“There’s more where that came from. It’s exciting to see the level of interest people are developing in beach handball and others coming into it. It would be great to see more countries in Africa taking part in the sport.”
