adminBrighton Zhawi in GABORONE, Botswana
ZIMBABWE netball team coach Ledwin Dondo says the Gems have their eyes on the African Netball Championship crown.
The continental showcase kicks off today with only five teams — Zimbabwe, the hosts Botswana, Tanzania, Swaziland and Zambia — taking part.
The Gems will get their campaign off the blocks with a date against Swaziland tomorrow and Dondo has demanded a winning start from her charges.
“We are using the round robin format so winning our first game will be crucial,” she said.
“The team is ready for this tournament.
“In the past we used to struggle because we would have spent a very short period of time in camp but that is not the case this time around.
“We had all the time we needed to work on our game plan, conditioning and player combinations so as this tournament begins we feel we are good enough to win it.”
Although Tanzania, ranked 15th in the world and Zambia (18) are set to play at this year’s World Cup in Sydney, Dondo maintains Zimbabwe have no inferiority complex.
“They (Tanzania and Zambia) are going to the World Cup but there is nothing special about those two teams. We have planned thoroughly for this tournament so there is nothing that will surprise us when we play them.
“Our biggest advantage is that very few people are giving us a chance to do well. They will be surprised,” said the Zimbabwe coach.
After facing Swaziland, the Gems will have a doubleheader on Tuesday as they face Botswana and Zambia at the Botswana Netball Courts.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter