Lucknow: Lucknow Division emerged victorious in the state-level Coordination Junior Boys’ Handball Championship, defeating Azamgarh Division 40-36 in a thrilling final. Lucknow’s excellent attack and strong defense played a crucial role in securing the title.
Organized under the aegis of the Uttar Pradesh Sports Directorate and the Uttar Pradesh Handball Association, the tournament was hosted at the Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee Multipurpose Hall, located in KD Singh Babu Stadium, Lucknow. The final witnessed an intense battle as Lucknow faced stiff competition from Azamgarh.
In this gripping contest, Lucknow led 19-16 at halftime and continued their dominance in the second half to seal the championship. David was the star performer for Lucknow, scoring a game-high 11 goals. Ankit contributed 10 goals, while Krish and Pravesh added 9 and 8 goals, respectively. On the other hand, Sonu Chauhan (7 goals), Manish (6 goals), and Divyansh (4 goals) led the scoring for Azamgarh.
The tournament concluded with a prize distribution ceremony, where the chief guest, Shri OP Srivastava (Honorable MLA, Lucknow East Assembly), awarded the winners and encouraged the players. Dr. RP Singh, Sports Director, presided over the ceremony and extended gratitude to all participating teams. Distinguished attendees included Dr. Anandeshwar Pandey, General Secretary of the Uttar Pradesh Handball Association, and Treasurer Vinay Kumar Singh.
The event also saw the presence of Narendra Singh Chauhan, General Secretary of the Uttar Pradesh Underwater Sports and Fin Swimming Association; Dr. Sumant Pandey, Secretary of the Lucknow District Handball Association; Lucknow team coach Mohammad Tauhid (International Handball Coach); Gymnastics Coach Ravikant Yadav; Laxman Award-winning handball player Mohit Yadav; and a large number of sports enthusiasts.
Earlier, in the semifinals, Azamgarh Division secured their place in the final by edging out Meerut Division 26-24, while Lucknow Division defeated Gorakhpur Division 30-23 to book their spot in the championship match.
