By SANDRA MWILA and MOSES CHIMFWEMBE –

THE Handball Association of Zambia (HAZ) has secured eight tickets worth K40,000 for the national Under 20 team’s trip to Kenya for the nineth African Handball Championship Male Youth Qualifier for the 2014 Nanjing Olympic Games.
HAZ communication manager Josab Changa said the tickets were secured courtesy of the contribution by the executive committee members.
Changa, however, said the association has a deficit of K560,000 to enable the team compete at the 20-day long championships to be held in Nairobi from March 14 to 30 and appealed to the business houses for support.
Angola and Zambia, who ranked first and second respectively in Southern Africa, are the only representatives in the sub region.
“The gesture by the executive committee members demonstrates how committed they are towards the growth of the sport and the great importance they attach to this tournament. It is very important that Zambia makes an appearance at the continental competition,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Tunisia Handball Federation (THF) has invited Zambia for a two-week training camp that would include friendly games with top flight clubs in that country before the Africa championship.
THF will meet the accommodation and logistical costs while Zambia have been asked to make own transport arrangements.
HAZ president Victor Bwalya-Banda disclosed the development in an interview yesterday saying the association was not in a position fulfil the invitation owing to some financial constraints.
Tunisia is a top ranked handball team in Africa while Zambia is seventh.
“It would have been great to have training camp in Tunisia but our resources cannot allow. Currently we are trying hard to secure tickets for the team and we feel we should concentrate in that,” he said.
On Saturday, the Kenya bound team beat Green Eagles 22-16 in the warm up match played at the Olympic Youth Development Centre (OYDC) in Lusaka with Nathan Shiluwe of Lusaka Tigers emerging as top scorer after netting eight times.