Faith keeps Kwaramba going

Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter

JUST three years ago, Gems vice-captain Claris Kwaramba thought her flirtation with the game she loves so dearly was over after suffering a horrible knee sprain.

She was so distraught that at times she would shed tears.

“For some time I thought I wouldn’t play netball again in my life. I was so depressed and kept on wondering what I would do minus netball in my life,” she said.

“The injury was so bad that I wouldn’t fool myself into believing that I would be able to step on the netball court again”.

But the 23-year-old University of Zimbabwe Law student kept on the faith.

“I just decided to put everything in God’s hands. One thing I was told by medical experts was that I would eventually heal since age was still on my side but certainly my performance would suffer a huge knock.

“That was frustrating to hear, especially the second part so I decided to keep my faith in God”.

And it worked.

The Platinum Queens Goal Defender has since inspired the Zvishavane team to several attainments including the Netball Premier League title as she has not only rediscovered herself but has vastly improved.

She is one of the key figures in the Gems squad that is set to participate at the Vitality Netball World Cup to take place from July 28-August 5 in Cape Town, South Africa.

Kwaramba is one of the players who have retained their slots from the magnificent side that punched above weight in Zimbabwe’s debut World Cup in Liverpool, England in 2019.

Zimbabwe finished eighth in the 16-team jamboree in England.

And they will be out to better that record at the second time of asking in South Africa.

The Gems are scheduled to leave tomorrow for the global show-piece taking place in Africa for the first time in history.

And Kwaramba believes the team has what it takes to do well across the border.

“I am really grateful to be part of the team to participate at the World Cup for the second time. I feel greatly honoured and humbled.

“We played very well in 2019 in Liverpool when the odds were very much against us.

“But once we realised that we could do it, we built confidence and we ended up being eighth at the contest.

“It’s a bit different this time around. We are one of the teams known for being unpredictable given the record we posted four years ago.

“And we have also realised that there is nothing special about other teams.

“After all, we have a strong support base given the number of Zimbabweans in South Africa”.

Zimbabwe are in Pool A alongside powerhouse Australia who lost the gold match to New Zealand by just a single point in the last World Cup in England.

Unpredictable Fiji and Tonga are also in the same group as the Gems.