Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Under-19 netball team coach Simbarashe Mlambo is confident the girls will put up a good fight in the Confederation of Southern African Netball Associations (Cosana) Tri-Nations series in Malawi from June 12-16.
Zimbabwe will face Namibia and Malawi in the series in which the Under-19s will feature as curtain raisers to the three countries’ senior national teams.
The Under-19 teams will use the tri-nations to prepare for the African Union Sports Council Region 5 Youth Games scheduled for December 2022 in Malawi.
Mlambo has selected a 12-member squad to represent the country in the tri-nations.
“We are confident in the squad we have selected.
I am certain that we will go there and compete.
As a team, we are preparing for the Region 5 Games that are scheduled for Malawi.
We have been preparing for some time now.
We are grateful to the Zimbabwe Netball Association (Zina), which organised a camp for us and we managed to have a good look at players drawn from all parts of the country,” said Mlambo.
The senior team will use the competition as preparations for the Africa World Cup Qualifiers set for August 20-25 in Pretoria, South Africa.
Zimbabwe are the highest ranked in the world among the trio at seventh, while Malawi are 12th and Namibia 22nd.
Zimbabwe’s tour of Malawi comes after the team’s bid to qualify for their second successive Netball World Cup recently received a massive boost following the signing of a sponsorship agreement between the Zina and leading supermarket retail chain Spar Zimbabwe.
Spar Zimbabwe’s support will assist the Gems in their qualification journey for the 2023 Netball World Cup to be staged in Cape Town.
The Gems made history in 2019 by qualifying for the Netball World Cup in Liverpool, England, and were ranked eighth in their maiden appearance under very difficult conditions.
They are in the running once again for yet another qualification and the support from Spar Zimbabwe is expected to spur the team to greater heights.
The monthly funding from Spar Zimbabwe will go towards creating a high-performance environment for the Gems, targeting direct athlete support for kit, camps and high-performance training support.
The sponsorship will also ensure the team has adequate preparations, which include a series of month-long camps, regional friendlies and regional ranking tournaments in the run-up to the World Cup Qualifier in August.
After their tour to Malawi, the senior Zimbabwe team will tour the United Kingdom for a series of preparatory matches from July 17-24, which will further help the team with more exposure before the World Cup qualifiers.
Under-19 Squad
Kasiku Esther, Beyonce Ndaradzi, Queen Mubaira, Faith Chitunda, Thandazile Ndhlovu, Natasha Rwambiwa, Vimbai Chibi, Yemurai Seven, Lethukuthula Nxumalo, Praise Garira, Thandiwe Mashore, Faith Mutero
Gems Squad
Claris Kwaramba (Platinum Queens), Priscilla Ndlovu (Platinum Queens), Nicole Muzanenhamo (Green Fuel), Tafadzwa Matura (ZDF), Chipo Shoko (Platinum Queens), Cynthia Gamuchirai (Mambas Queens), Ursula Ndlovu (Glow Petroleum), Paidamoyo Tinoza (Glow Petroleum), Progress Moyo (Platinum Queens), Sharleen Tanaka Makusha (Platinum Queens), Tafadzwa Mawango (Correctional Queens), Beulah Hlungwane (Glow Petroleum).
Head coach: Ropafadzo Mutsauki
Assistant coach: Wisdom Tatenda Shinya
Team manager: Agnes Chiroodza
Physiotherapist: Nyembesi Kwava
Team doctor: Patience Maramba
— @innocentskizoe
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