Tabingwa named MVP at East and Central Africa Handball Championship
The five-day tournament, played at Old Kampala Arena, saw Nairobi Water Queens of Kenya emerge champions in the women’s category, while Rwanda Police clinched the men’s crown.
Tournament MVP Claire Tabingwa of Prisons with her trophy
Uganda Prisons attacker Claire Tabingwa was crowned Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the women’s category at the East and Central Africa Handball Club Championship, which concluded on Thursday.
The five-day tournament, played at Old Kampala Arena, saw Nairobi Water Queens of Kenya emerge champions in the women’s category, while Rwanda Police clinched the men’s crown.
In the women’s final, Nairobi Water Queens defeated Uganda Prisons 33–24 to reclaim the trophy they lost to Uganda Police last year in Rwanda. In the men’s final, Rwanda Police overcame Kenya’s National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) 34–28, reclaiming the title they had lost to NCPB in last year’s final in Kigali.
Nairobi Waters' Martha Lavender emerged the top scorer of the tournament with 39 goals
Tabingwa, who plays as a left half, expressed joy at winning the MVP award in her debut appearance at the regional tournament.
“I am very happy being the MVP. This is my first time playing in such a tournament, and this award is going to push me to train harder so that I make it to the national team,” she said.
The 22-year-old added that she is determined to continue working hard to win similar accolades in the national league and with the national team.
Nairobi Water Queens forward Martha Lavender finished as the tournament’s top scorer with 39 goals, while Rwanda Police’s Emanuel Kubwimana was named MVP in the men’s category.
Prisons team manager Flavia Angwechi praised her side’s effort but attributed their defeat to a lack of endurance.
Prisons women handball team celebrates finishing second in the ECAHF Club Handball Championship at Old Kampala on Thursday. PHOTO: Johnson Were
“It was our first time to play at the regional level. The girls played well, but endurance let them down,” she explained.
Uganda was represented by UPDF, Police, and Prisons in the competition, which also attracted teams from Rwanda, Burundi, and Kenya.
ECAHF handball finals results
Women
Prisons 24 Nairobi Waters 33
Top scorer
Martha Lavender (39 Goals)
MVP: Claire Tabingwa (Prisons)
Men
Rwanda Police 34 Kenya Cereals 28
MVP: Emmanuel Kubwimana (Rwanda Police)