Lagos Seasiders handball player, Ibrahim Owolabi is looking forward to a great year in handball after breaking into the national team in 2018.
Owolabi won the 2018 Sam Ocheho invitational tournament and finished second at the Prudent Energy Handball League with Lagos Seasiders.
His performance got him a call up to the Under-20 National team who went on to win the IHF trophy in Niger and Rwanda and later settled for a bronze medal at the Youth Nations Cup in Morocco which served as qualification for the Under-20 World Cup in Spain this year.
Owolabi explained to ACLSports.com how the previous year went down after breaking into the national team.
“Last year was a great year for me I got a call up to national camp and tried my best to make the team. It all started from Kaduna camp and then we headed for Niger Republic for zonal qualifiers we came first position. From there we went for the inter-zonal championship in Rwanda where we came first too. Our winning there gave us the privilege to play Youth Nations Cup in Morocco Marrakesh where we finished third and that qualified us for the world cup.”
He continued, “Also at the Sam Ocheho invitational handball championship last year June, it was a great moment for me because I was named the best position six of the competition.
“I am looking forward to this year hoping I’ll have a great year because there’s the U-21 World Cup in Spain, July this year and IHF trophy intercontinental. And also put all My best to make the national team to the All African Games this year in August.
The former Badminton player disclosed how he left badminton for handball due to lack of competitions.
“We came back from one competition in 2009 and we were given one month break. While I was at home, my neighbour who was a handball coach took me to a handball training session since I was just idle at home that was how I was introduced into the sport that year and also attended my first handball competition in Kogi State.
The Human Kinetics student heaped praises on the Sam Ocheho-led Handball Federation for restructuring the sport in Nigeria.
“Sam Ocheho gave handball hope and its been a wonderful time playing the game since he assumed office. I call him the digital President who has put a lot of effort to bring new opportunities into the game. The Federation is better than what we had before,” Owolabi concluded
