adminTadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe korfball team have re-grouped as they step up preparations for the World Cup qualifiers scheduled for Chitungwiza at the end of the month.
The qualifying games are pencilled for April 27-29. Korfball is a ball sport with similarities to netball and basketball.
It is played by two teams of eight players with four females and four males in each team or with eight females in each team.
The objective is to throw a ball through a bottomless basket that is mounted on a 3.5-metre high pole.
The sport was invented by Dutch school teacher Nico Broekhuysen in 1902.
In the Netherlands, there are around 569 clubs and over 100 000 people playing korfball. The sport is also very popular in Belgium and Taiwan.
The korfball World Cup will be held in Durban, South Africa, in July.
Zimbabwe are eyeing a maiden dance at the show-piece but they will have to be at their best if they are to outwit powerful African opponents like Malawi, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire and Zambia whom they will battle against for the right to represent the continent.
Only one African country will join hosts South Africa at the world fiesta.
The qualifying competition will be spiced by the South Africans who will make a guest appearance.
They have already qualified by virtue of being hosts.
Head coach Percyledge Samugadza, who in 2015 guided the Under-23 team through to the World Cup but could not make the journey to the Czech Republic because of financial challenges, is upbeat his charges will negotiate their way past the African lot.
Samugadza has named a strong squad led by 24-year-old Billy Melusi.
Lenon Makureya, Rudo Karume, Tracy Makovere and Tafara Muzvidziwa have also been selected to represent the country in the only sport code which has both male and female players in the pitch at the same time.
Online Reporter