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Grace Chingoma-Senior Sports Reporter
THE triumphant Gems, who returned home to a huge welcome yesterday, will cut short their celebrations to focus on preparing for the 2023 Netball World Cup that will be staged in Cape Town, South Africa, in July.
The Zimbabwe senior national netball team qualified for the global showcase again having done so for the first time in 2019.
They secured the second slot from the two that were available at African Qualifiers that were held last week in Pretoria, South Africa.
The Cabinet yesterday also noted the Gems’ World Cup qualification. Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa told the Cabinet that the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts, and Recreation Kirsty Coventry advised that the Zimbabwe senior netball team, also known as the Gems, came out third out of 14 teams and qualified for the 2023 Netball World Cup which will be held from 28 July to 6 August, 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa.
And yesterday, the Gems fans and local football fans as well as the Mbare Chimurenga Choir were at the Harare International Conference Centre to welcome the team which arrived by road from South Africa in their Spar Zimbabwe branded bus.
The Zimbabwe Netball Association president, Leticia Chipandu, said they are targeting a top-five finish at next year’s edition of the Netball World Cup and the work begins now.
“We want to aim to be in the top five, we were in the top ten last time. Now the journey to the 2023 Netball World Cup begins now,” said Chipandu.
The veteran administrator revealed that they have already secured an invitation with one of the countries, and are working on the finer details.
“We are going to embark on several friendly games with different countries so that we keep training every time, when it comes to July 2023 we will be ready to roar.
“European countries are likely to come to Africa for acclimatisation before the Netball World Cup and we will take that opportunity as well. We have already got an invitation which l will not say much at the moment. But we are also looking at playing our African opponents in these friendlies,” said Chipandu.
Chipandu also hailed the Government and the sponsors — Spar Zimbabwe and National Foods — for the continued support.
“First and foremost we want to thank our Government for the support that they have always given us whenever we have international or regional competitions.
“And we also want to thank Spar Zimbabwe for branding the team bus, they also dressed us. We also want to thank National Foods, they are our sponsors since 2018 and at the 2019 Netball World Cup and I am so happy that we have people who believe in us and our capabilities, and more-so people that believe in our transparency and sport of netball in the country.
“I am very happy, the girls have done the country proud, we rose to nobody’s expectations and I am very happy because the girls are fighters, they are very determined, they are focused,” said Chipandu.
Gems coach Ropafadzo Mutsauki also reiterated the need for more competition before they compete in the 2023 Netball World Cup.
“We want competition which will help us to improve. We need time to prepare and we need competitive games.
“We are looking forward to the support. The Government has always been supporting us and we are also looking to the private sector and support from any angle. If we don’t camp and don’t secure friendly games we will not improve.
“The tournament is now tougher, and the opposition is also now tougher,” said Mutsauki.
Mutsauki said they observed that their fitness level is lacking compared to their rivals Malawi and South Africa.
“We need many games and time to compete this will help us to improve our fitness. With training alone we will remain in the same position,” said Mutsauki.
The Gems coach said his rebuilding exercise is taking shape and was particularly impressed by the 20-year-old Nicole Muzanenhamo who was not intimidated and showed maturity during the qualifying games.
The GreenFuel versatile centre says she was excited to feature in her first major qualifiers and qualify for the Netball World Cup.
“I feel honoured to be part of the Gems. I have learnt a lot from this tournament and I hope I will use it to improve my netball. I was happy to play in all the games,” said Muzanenhamo.
Online Reporter