2016 Handball AFCON: Lions wrap up first training camp

Some 22 home-based players of the men’s senior national handball team wrap up the first training camp in Yaounde to prepare for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations in that discipline to take place in Egypt from 21–30 January 2016. According to the team coach, Honoré Konguep, during the external training camp which took place at the La Concorde stadium of the University of Yaounde I popularly referred to as Mateco, emphasis was laid on practical adjustments, strategies of defense and attack.

There were also friendly matches during the training. The foreign–based players will join the rest of the squad on a date yet to be fixed by the handball federation. The bulk of the players shortlisted by Honoré Konguep come from FAP handball club (eight), followed by Fondation Nziko with six players selected and Éclair Ezeka with four players. There are also players from Dream Sport of Douala, with two selections, Camstar of Yaounde and the University of Buea.

According to the draws, Cameroon was seeded in group A referred to as the pool of death comprising the defending champions, Algeria, host Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria and Gabon. During the last edition of the tournament in 2014, Cameroon emerged fifth. The ambition of the handball lions will therefore be to perform better than they did in Algeria two years ago. Despite the uphill task ahead of them, the coach, Honoré Konguep remains optimistic.

“It is true we are in a very difficult pool but this time we have to occupy a position better than the 5th position we obtained. However, when we examine the forces in place and the human resources at our disposal, we have a chance of playing the semi finals,” he said. The 2016 African Men's Handball Championship will serve as the African qualifying tournament for the 2016 Olympics Games in Rio de Janeiro and the 25th edition of the Men's World Handball Championship to be held in France from 11 to 29 January 2017.