Ngwira nominated for top netball award in UK
Malawi national netball team export Laureen Ngwira has been nominated for the Player of the Season Award in the Vitality Superleague in the United Kingdom where she has had an impressive debut season at Team Northambria.
She is on a shortlist of 10 nominees published on www.skysports.com, a website for renowned United Kingdom based media network Sky Sports which sponsors the award.
“As well as this year’s champion, there is also the decision on who should be crowned the Sky Sports/ Vitality Superleague Player of the Year and once again the decision is yours,” reads in part the article which encourages fans to vote for their best player.
In a telephone interview on Friday, Ngwira said she was humbled to be nominated despite playing in the league for only season a season.
“I never expected this to happen as early as this. I feel honoured because there are a lot of equally good players that could have been on the shortlist,” she said.
Ngwira’s team did not make it into the semifinal and she believes that winning the award would be a good consolation.
“We wanted to reach the semi-finals or even win the title but that did not happen. I just hope to win this award as a consolation for the team,” she added.
Meanwhile, Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) general secretary Carol Bapu congratulated Ngwira, saying her nomination will help market Malawi netball.
“I talked to Laureen a short while ago. I have congratulated her because of this feat. Her success will promote our netball. I will not be surprised if more foreign clubs start searching for talent in Malawi,” she said.
Ngwira, who plays as defender, joined Northambria after her eye-catching performances during the Fast5 World Netball Series last year.
Meanwhile, another Malawian player Joyce Mvula’s team Manchester Thunder will play in the semi-finals of the Vitality Superleague this evening. Her team faces Loughborough.
The winner will face either Wasps or Team Bath who face off in another last four clash.
