Zim Under-21 hockey team off to SA

Ellina Mhlanga

Senior Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWE’S Under-21 field hockey team left for South Africa yesterday where they will compete in the FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup that begins this Friday in Potchefstroom.

The Women’s Junior World Cup is running from April 1 to 12.

Zimbabwe are one of the 16 countries that will compete in South Africa.

Team captain, Mutsa Bera, said it has been a long journey, building up to the tournament after it was postponed from December last year to April, 2022.

Many of the players were left disappointed when the tournament was postponed. However, Bera said the support they got kept them going.

“I think we had really supportive mentors, really supportive people in our corners from our coaches, our management. We had people just speaking life into our situations and just encouraging us.

“And I think as a team we just bonded together and just reminded ourselves why we love hockey and realising that we are committed to just playing this tournament no matter when it is that it was going to be played. I think that’s what really motivated us to keep going.

“And also just thinking about the various sacrifices that we all made was something that was then driving us to say we have come this far, so we are going to make sure that we just keep pushing no matter when it was that we are going to play,” said Bera.

Tendayi Maredza is the coach, assisted by Khanyiwe Tapfuma.

Team manager is Florence Mhasho.

Zimbabwe have been to the Women’s Junior World Cup before and in 2016 they were part of the tournament in Chile.

They take on Canada, United States and Netherlands in Pool A.

Bera said they are excited to be part of the competition and will take it one game at a time.

“I think we are now really excited to be starting this tournament. It’s been two years that we have been really working at this and I think now we really developed as a team.

“And we are really looking forward to just going out there and showing them the hockey that we know we can play and just doing our best.

“I think over the years we really worked at improving our game, reflecting on the past experience, the past tournament that we played and just really working hard.

“And I think for all of us it’s a dream, it’s something that we all have been working towards, playing from Under-18 hockey and then coming out here to now play at Under-21 level.

“The teams that we are coming against, is going to be a challenge but it’s a challenge that we are looking forward to taking part in,” said Bera.

Pool B is made up of England, Ireland, South Africa and Ukraine.

Argentina, Austria, Korea and Uruguay will battle it out Pool C while Pool D consist of Germany, India, Malaysia and Wales.

Zimbabwe Under-21 Team

Georgia Allardice, Mercedes Beekes, Mutsa Bera (captain), Hayley Clark, Tinodiwanashe Elijah, Simone Herbst, Jorja Jones, Courtney Lowe, Lavender Mandoza, Tatenda Maswera, Jenna Mathieson, Mazvita Mtausi-Gwaradzimba, Khanyisile Mzizi, Lillian Pope, Gugulethu Sibanda, Kaylee Sithole, Alexei Terblanche, Natalie Terblanche, Taya Trivella, Rumbidzai Zimuto.