Madingou breathes handball for eleven days
For nearly a fortnight the usually tranquil Stade omnisport of Madingou transformed into a resonant arena where whistles, drums and chants blended with the thud of resin-coated balls. From 8 to 18 September 2025, twenty-three clubs representing Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, Pool and the host department of Bouenza contested the first edition of the senior men’s and women’s tournament tellingly christened “J’aime la Bouenza au sens propre”. The appellation, at once affectionate and ambitious, framed a competition designed to celebrate handball’s health in Congo-Brazzaville despite acknowledged governance challenges.
Finals deliver drama and technical mastery
The women’s climax pitted the seasoned squad of D.G.S.P against the spirited newcomers of Grain de sel. Spectators were treated to shifting defensive patterns and rapid transitional play before D.G.S.P secured a 29–25 victory, their back-court movement proving decisive in the closing minutes. On the men’s side B.M.C edged J.S.O 25–23 in a match of narrow margins where goalkeepers alternated spectacular saves and wing players stretched opposing blocks. Each final, tense yet respectful, offered a condensed display of the discipline’s athletic and tactical dimensions.
Prizes, honours and a festival of fair play
Beyond the scoreboards the organisers placed honour at the centre of their protocol. The two champion teams respectively received a trophy and an envelope of one million CFA francs, underscoring the tournament’s seriousness. U.S Renaissance and Asoc, runners-up in the women’s and men’s draws, were formally acknowledged, while best scorers, goalkeepers and overall performers accepted framed certificates to applause. A distinct diploma rewarded the least-sanctioned collectives, affirming a pedagogy of ethics that framed the entire event.
Institutional support anchors the initiative
The closing ceremony, presided over by the prefect of Bouenza, Marcel Nganongo, highlighted the tight weave between sport, administration and civic pride. In his remarks the prefect described the tournament as “a response to the will of the Head of State to develop sport through modern facilities”, situating the project within a broader national vision. He received an honorary distinction from the coordinating officer, Colonel Christelle Colombe Bouaka Milandou, whose military precision had guided logistics and officiating. Equally visible was the sponsorship of Brigadier General Serge Oboa, special adviser to the President and president of the multi-disciplinary sports club D.G.S.P, whose support provided financial and symbolic ballast.
An outlook shaped by anticipation and continuity
As celebratory confetti settled, attention shifted to the next chapter. Prefect Nganongo urged athletes to view their triumphs as points of departure, insisting that “everything begins now” and inviting clubs to ready themselves for a second edition that Bouenza hopes to host during the forthcoming school holidays. The commitment to continuity, voiced publicly and anchored by institutional actors, suggests that the inaugural success has forged expectations of regularity and growth. For the players, coaches and supporters who converged on Madingou, the tournament’s resonance endures: it demonstrated that Congolese handball, in both its women’s and men’s expressions, commands energy, talent and a platform capable of uniting departments under shared colours.