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Tadious Manyepo
Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe national cestoball women’s team coach Annahmaria Jirimwe has named her final squad for the Cestoball World Cup to be staged in Bangalore, India, next month.
The men’s team for the same assignment is scheduled to be named next week.
Zimbabwe will make history as one of the contestants to the first ever Cestoball World Cup.
Although the sport is not very popular in the country given it is still in its infancy in terms of growth, Jirimwe said most of her girls have played other related sports, including netball, in their professional careers.
She expressed confidence her charges will be able to conquer in the May 21-25 global showcase.
“I am excited with the prospect of leading this team in a World Cup. This is the pinnacle in terms of competitions and we are training hard to be as competitive as we can in India,” Jirimwe said.
“We have held several periodic camps leading up to this selection. I am very happy with what I have been seeing in the squad.
“We have a squad of girls who are willing to go out there and make an impact. They are hungry for success. The zeal is very encouraging and I can safely say we are ready to face the world.”
The president of the Zimbabwe Cestoball Association, Amon Madzvamuse, said he is happy with the progress they have made in preparation of the global jamboree so far.
“We have been given the all-clear by our Government and we are happy. We are ready to rumble in this tournament.
“However, we are still looking for sponsorship to fulfil this dream. We are looking at a budget of about US$40 000,” said Madzvamuse.
“We are very much prepared to raise the Zimbabwean flag high in India. This is a huge opportunity for us to put our country on the cestoball world map.
”We are still growing in this sport and the impact of our participation in the World Cup will be massive and far reaching.”
Madzvamuse is credited for helping grow handball in the country when he was the president of the Zimbabwe Handball Federation in the mid-2000s.
He is expected to help cestoball grow in leaps and bounce across the country using the same template he implemented during his days as the leader of handball.
Women’s Cestoball World Cup squad
Sheila Gwatidzo, Paula Manyan’anya, Kudzai Humanikwa, Emencildah Muyengi, Yolanda Ngesi, Wayne Nkomo, Tadiwanashe Jirimwe, Oleen Chowawa, Talent Chirairo, Lissa Mpofu, Eulita Pondiwa, Tinotenda Kachavi.
Technical Team
Annahmariah Jirimwe (head coach), Annie Mbewe (assistant coach), Joan Takafuma (team manager), Angela Mupamanda (team medic).
Online Reporter