Junior queens upbeat
Malawi Under-21 national netball team yesterday left for Pretoria, South Africa for the 2025 Under-21 Netball World Youth Cup Africa qualifiers scheduled for March 17 to 23.
The tournament will identify four teams to represent the continent at the 20-team competition in Gibraltar.
Netball Association of Malawi general secretary Isaac Chimwala said in an interview yesterday he was optimistic that the team will do well.
“We have a hungry young team full of talent. The preparations were thorough and we have confidence that the team will do well,” he said.
Under-21 team coach Christian Mkwanda said the team is ready to qualify for the Gibraltar tournament.
She said: “The team is ready for the games after having intensive training for three weeks. We have played four friendly games three against Limbomba men’s team where we won two and lost one and also played against the Lilongwe select where the team won the game. We are starting games on Sunday in Pretoria. Everything is set and the girls are eager to win all the games here.”
Mkwanda also took charge of the Under-21 at the Africa Union Sports Council Region Five Youth Games in Botswana in 2018.
Following the withdrawal of Uganda from the competition, Malawi will face competition from South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe Under-21 captain Thandazile Ndhlovu was quoted in an interview with The Herald on Tuesday as having said that she was confident that they will do well.
“Preparations have been going on well so far. I think we are ready to go and compete in South Africa.,” she said.
The Young Gems’ last competition was in 2022 when they won gold at the Confederation of Southern African Netball Association Games in Malawi.
Ndhlovu was crowned goal shooter of the tournament.
The qualifiers have drawn hosts South Africa, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, Kenya and Tanzania.
