By Amaechi Agbo

Poverty Fighters Handball Club of Abuja are poised to ruffle shoulders with the gladiators as they storm Makurdi, Benue State capital for the 3rd edition of the North-Central Handball Championship.

Founded seven months ago, the new club who are participating in the championship for the first time, is determined to give the established teams, such as Niger United, Safety Shooters, Benue Buffaloes, a run for their money.

Tutored by a veteran and popular coach, Abdullahi jibrin, the club will depart Abuja on Friday for the neighbouring Makurdi as the one-week tournament hits the ground.

Speaking ahead of the competition which holds from 19 – 26 August, Coach Jibrin said the boys are eager to showcase their talents as well as gain exposure for the challenges ahead.

He noted that the tournament is an ideal ground for the players to have a feel of competitive atmosphere adding that any club that underrates them does so at their peril.

“The tournament is an ideal ground for us as a new club. We have a philosophy and mission to achieve and participating in the North-Central Handball Championship will afford us the needed exposure as a new team ahead of our future plans.

“We are new but not naive. We have established clubs in the tournament but my boys are determined and eager to give them a run for their money. We are not going to Benue to make up the numbers. Any club who underrates us does so at their own peril,” he stated on Friday.

Ahead of the championship, the Poverty Fighters played a warm up match against former Prudent Energy Handball Premier League champions, Safety Shooters.

The Shooters did not find the match funny as they struggled to beat the Fighters 31-23 on Wednesday.

Other teams participating in the North-Central Handball Championship include, Benue Buffaloes, Confluence Kings, Safety Shooters of Abuja, Team Nasarawa and D – Defenders of Abuja

Others are former Prudent Energy Handball Premier League champions, Niger United of Minna, Correctional Boys of Abuja and Unity Boys of Abuja.

There are three female teams which comprises Benue Queens, Makurdi: Safety Babes of Abuja and Defenders Babes of Abuja

Safety Shooters and Safety Babes, owned by the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC are the defending champions of both male and female categories, respectively