Rivers Handball Players Target Niger Delta Games Gold

Posted : 05 February 2026

Players of the Rivers State handball team have sent a strong warning to their opponents ahead of the forthcoming Niger Delta Games, declaring that they are heading to Benin City with their sights firmly set on the gold medal.

Speaking after the conclusion of the handball trials for Edo 2026 at the Diete-Spiff Civic Centre in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, the players were unanimous in their resolve to secure gold later this month.

Although their performance at the inaugural edition of the Games in Uyo last year fell below expectations, the players remain confident that the experience gained, combined with improved preparations for this edition, will yield better results.

Fully Prepared This Time

Goalkeeper Richard Harrison led his male teammates in declaring their readiness to take Benin City by storm, attributing their confidence to the team’s thorough preparation.

“We are very, very prepared. For me, I will say it’s 100 per cent for us. We have been training morning and evening, so the preparation is there. We just need to put in the teamwork, and I think we can go for gold,” Harrison said.

His teammate, ThankGod David, echoed Harrison’s confidence, adding that the hard work put into training should see the team emerge victorious when they face their regional opponents from February 20.

“We are very confident in our abilities because we have put in enough effort in training. As we head into the competition, we believe that we, as a team, will emerge victorious,” David said.

Anticipating a Better, Sweeter Experience

Members of the Rivers handball team acknowledge their disappointing outing at the previous Games and are determined to create a new and improved experience.

For Godspower Idango, last year’s lacklustre performance has sparked renewed hunger ahead of this year’s competition, as he assured of a strong showing.

“We are looking forward to this year’s Games. We didn’t do well last year, so my teammates and I are hungry and highly motivated. We are putting in a lot of work both morning and evening.

“I want to assure you that we will come out victorious in Edo State,” he said.

Lily Emmanuel, who spoke on behalf of the women’s team, also expressed confidence that the team is well prepared to make the state proud.

“I wasn’t proud of our experience last year, but this year we are well prepared. We are going to win; we are not coming to be dull or to fail. We are Team Rivers, and we are going to make Rivers State proud.

“We have been training intensively and consistently since the beginning of January. Our endurance training has given us greater strength, so the result will be different this time,” Lily said.

The Rivers State trials for the Edo 2026 Niger Delta Games continued on Wednesday, with volleyball and taekwondo taking centre stage.

Rivers Handball Players Target Niger Delta Games Gold

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