Tojemarine HC, Flowers emerge champions at 2026 Tojemarine Invitational Handball Championship

Pius Ayinor

Hosts Tojemarine Handball Club and Flowers of the Benin Republic were crowned champions of the men’s and women’s categories, respectively, as the 2026 Tojemarine Invitational Handball Championship came to a thrilling conclusion on Thursday. The event was held at the Sports Hall of the National Institute for Sports, Surulere, Lagos.

The Grand Finale of the competition was graced by top sports personalities such as the President of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN) Jibril Saidu Ojih; former HFN President Mr. Samuel Ocheho and his wife, Mrs Patience Ocheho, who are the hosts of the competition; and several others.

Roared on by their home fans, Tojemarine HC capped an impressive campaign with a 26-22 victory over Niger United in the men’s final. The hosts took control of the contest from the outset, opening a 14-9 halftime lead before managing the game effectively in the second half to secure the championship title and complete an unbeaten run through the tournament.

In the women’s final, Flowers of the Benin Republic underlined their dominance by defeating compatriots ASPAC 28-20 to lift the trophy.

Flowers established an early advantage and went into the break with a 13-8 lead before pulling away in the second half to seal a deserved victory and finish the competition as champions.

Earlier in the third-place matches, Seaside Babes claimed the bronze medal in the women’s category with a hard-fought 29-26 victory over SOOF after leading 14-12 at halftime. In the men’s classification match, ASPAC bounced back from their semifinal disappointment to defeat fellow Beninese side Energie 32-20, having taken a 15-10 advantage into the interval.

The championship, which featured clubs from Nigeria, Benin Republic and Ghana, provided eight days of exciting handball action and showcased the growing standard of the sport across West Africa.

While Tojemarine and Flowers celebrated title success, the tournament will also be remembered for its fiercely contested matches, including the dramatic women’s semifinal between SOOF and ASPAC that was decided only after two extra-time periods and a penalty shootout.

The successful staging of the championship further reinforced its status as one of the region’s emerging international handball competitions.

Photo: Flowers of the Benin Republic