By Yakubu Uzoma Muhammad, Team Bayelsa Media Assistant
The Female Team Bayelsa (Bayelsa Queens) yesterday emerged champions of The National Division One Handball Championship in Benin City, Edo State after beating Gallant Babes of Anambra 20 – 12 to win the competition with 10 points from 12 points.
While Confluence Queens of Kogi qualified for the Prudent Energy Handball Premier League after coming from 4 goals down to narrowly beat their Delta Force counterpart 14-12 to finish as runner up behind Bayelsa Queens in the female category of the competition.
Speaking with the team’s media assistant, the Head Coach Mr. Opuene Yekorogha on what it means to emerge champions of the National Division One Handball Championship. He said that feels great and it means that it’s a reward for hard work after all the struggles that the team went through despite losing its first game.
“It feels great and it means that it’s a reward for all our hard work after all the struggles that the team went through despite losing our first game”
When quizzed on the tightness of the game against Gallant Babes especially in the first half Mr. Opuene said that it wasn’t actually a tight game because the team knew before the game that it will win the match and there actually wasn’t any reason why they should be worried because of the quality of their opponent.
“It wasn’t actually a tight game because the team knew before the game that we will win the match and there actually wasn’t any reason why we should be worried because of the quality of our opponent”.
Speaking with the Team’s Captain Miss Blessing Peter on the feeling of being Champions, she said that she feels very happy but because they listened to the Coaches’ instructions before and during the games, they emerged champions.
“I feel very happy but because we listened to the Coaches’ instructions before and during the games, that was why we emerged champions”.
On the other result in the Female Category, Confluence Queens of Kogi defeated Delta Force of Delta 14-12 the finish runner-up of the competition.
Speaking with the Head Coach of Confluence Queens Mr. Peter Philips on what it feels to qualify considering the circumstances at which the game panned out. Mr. Philip said it’s an exciting feeling that cannot be described after missing it in 2019.
“It’s an exciting feeling that cannot be described after missing it in 2019”.
Speaking with the Team’s Captain Miss Elizabeth Faniyi on what qualification to the Prudent Energy Handball Premier League means to her and the team, Miss Elizabeth said that she feels very happy to have vindicated the Coaches’ decision to work with the crop of young players in the team. And also considering the fact that the team wasn’t giving any chance before the competition started.
“I feel very happy to have vindicated the Coaches’ decision to work with this crop of young players in the team. And also considering the fact that the team wasn’t giving any chance before the competition started”.
In the Male Category of the competition, Toje Marines of Lagos and Police Machine finished as first and second respectively in Group A while Owena Kings of Ondo and The Correctional finished first and second respectively in Group B.
The first semi-final between Toje Marines and Correctional will be played today Friday 16th July 2021 by 8:00 am. While Owena Kings will take on Police Machine for a place in the final and also qualification to the Prudent Energy Handball Premier League.
The winners of the semi-finals will battle it out for the trophy tonight after the third-place Playoffs between the losers of both semi-finals.
 yesterday emerged champions of The National Division One Handball Championship in Benin City,){kind=link}