While City were busy clinching their historic treble at the weekend, another Manchester team marked a historic season of their own by winning the England Handball league and cup double.
Manchester’s NEM Hawks handball team has done the double after clinching the National Cup at the weekend.
In a tight match on Sunday, the Senior Men’s team beat West London Eagles 31-23 at England Handball’s National Finals to clinch the gold medal.
The victory, completed on the same weekend their local footballing counterparts Manchester City clinched the treble, followed on from winning the Men’s Premier Handball League back in April. That saw the Hawks secure back-to-back titles, having also won it in 2022.
The National Finals event brought down the curtain on the 2022/23 season, with hundreds of players and spectators turning out for a thrilling weekend.
Mike Bain, CEO of England Handball, said: “Congratulations to NEM Hawks, and what a superb weekend of handball action, showcasing plenty of the very best talent the sport has to offer in England.
“Handball continues to grow in this country and year on year is gaining momentum as a mainstream indoor sport in England. That was certainly evident this weekend.
“We promised this would be the biggest and best ever National Finals event and it didn’t disappoint – it was undoubtedly a roaring success.”
Exciting matches across all levels of handball in England from schools to senior level saw 12 teams claim glory at the Sir David Ross Sports Village in Nottingham.
The Eagles’ Women’s team took home the Women’s National Cup after beating Olympia 21-18.
In the U19s category on Saturday, Nottingham boys, playing in their home city, won the Youth National Cup after beating Poole Phoenix 33-27. In the girl’s fixture, the trophy went to Loughborough who beat Stroud 30-19.
In the U16s category, Guildford Sabres boys overcame Chelsea 24-21 in a closely-fought match.
Outside of the national and youth cup winners, the National Finals weekend also saw the conclusion of the National Schools Competition, which this year again saw hundreds of entrants.
Over 500 teams took part in both U13 and U15 boys’ and girls’ competitions, with the semi-finals and finals being played out over the weekend. London-based St Thomas the Apostle College won the U13s boys’ competition, with Herts & Essex High School winning the girls’ tournament.
In the U15s, Stroud High School won the girls’ trophy, with London-based St Bonaventure’s winning the boys’.
Rounding off the weekend, teams from universities around the country took part in a special University Summer Cup, with Loughborough University winning the women’s competition and Birmingham University taking home the men’s title.
