Zimbabwe and Zambia’s junior hockey teams emerged victorious in the recently concluded Men’s IHF Trophy Zone 6 Africa.
The tournament, which ran from May 6 to 11, 2024, saw both teams secure their spots in the IHF Trophy Continental Phase Africa later this year.
The semi-finals were a fiercely contested affair. Zimbabwe’s youth team, trailing Mozambique 15:17 at half-time, staged a remarkable comeback to win 41:34. Zambia, on the other hand, had a smoother path to the finals, overpowering South Africa with a decisive 36:10 victory.
In the youth category’s gold-medal match, Zambia showcased their prowess, defeating the host nation, Zimbabwe, with a score of 37:27.
Standout performances by Benjamin Daka and Rick Banda, who scored 13 and nine goals respectively, led Zambia to triumph. Mozambique claimed the bronze medal with a convincing 52:25 win over South Africa, while Malawi secured fifth place by defeating Lesotho 50:25.
The junior category mirrored the intensity of the youth competition. Zambia and Zimbabwe once again faced off in the finals. Zambia overcame Mozambique 23:15, and Zimbabwe dominated Lesotho 39:12 in the semi-finals.
However, Zimbabwe turned the tables in the final match, with Thomas Shawn’s impressive 12-goal contribution leading to a 35:31 victory over Zambia.
Mozambique continued their consistent performance by finishing third, defeating Lesotho 52:15. Malawi rounded out the top five with a 42:25 win against South Africa.
