Africa Zone 5B tournament: Uganda's women reign supreme

FINAL RESULTS

Men U-20: Rwanda 38 Uganda 32

Women U-19: Uganda 29 Kenya 23

Uganda beat defending champions Kenya to win the women's category of the Africa Zone 5B International Handball Federation (IHF) challenge tournament in Mukono.

Doreen Ondoa and Barbra Nantume fueled Uganda's memorable win with nine goals each for Uganda to claim their first girls' trophy in this competition.

"We were very well prepared, keeping in mind the strength of our opponents and that's why our gameplan rotated around counterattacks and we tried to be clinical. This is our present this festive season" said Taus Issa Mumena, captain of Uganda.

It was sweet revenge for the girls who lost to Kenya in the previous tournament.

Meanwhile, the men's side however had to settle for silverware after losing the final 32-38 to Rwanda in the men's category.

The six-day event took place at the Uganda Christian University grounds.

Uganda had last hosted the event in 2014 and did so again this year following Tanzania's withdrawal from hosting the tournament.

Despite not finishing top, Uganda's men relished silverware. (Credit: Silvano Kibuuka)

The Ugandan men were stopped in their tracks of winning a third successive IHF Zone VB tournament.

In the final, both Uganda and Rwanda were in with a realistic shout of the championship and going into the tournament, they were the favorites alongside Kenya who couldn't make it past the semifinals, narrowly losing to Uganda 34-33.

Rwanda's lynchpin James Rukundo scored six goals in the extremely absorbing game with flurries of goals as Rwanda claimed their first trophy of the biennial event.

The tournament attracts the six East African nations: Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and South Sudan.

These nations participated with under-20 (men) and under-19 (women) teams.

This time round, the defending champions - Uganda for men and Kenya for women - were second-best.

The 2018 event is tentatively scheduled for Gabon.