queens world cup budget hits k350m
Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) says the Malawi Queens need K350 million to prepare for the 2023 Netball World Cup scheduled between July 28 and August 6 in South Africa.
NAM vice-president Chimwemwe Bakali yesterday said the budget will cater for the team’s tune-ups that include national trials, local camps, local training matches and international test matches.
He has since urged well-wishers to join the government and Queens official corporate sponsors FDH Bank in ensuring that the Queens are fully prepared.
He said: “We are keeping fingers crossed that the government, our official corporate sponsor FDH Bank and other well-wishers will do the needful to ensure that we do not have a short-fall on our budget.
“Let all those that wish the best for the Queens start their support now rather than wait when the national team is in the middle of the games. For instance, those with gyms and hotels or lodges can offer free service as we start the national trials. Others can help with refreshments and many more. Together, we can help the Queens achieve success.”
Meanwhile, NAM has set up nine stages of Queens’ tune-ups starting with the national trials in the second week of February, when players will be selected at district level.
“Then, the Queens will have the first camping end February for the down-sizing of the squad. Thereafter, the selected players will undergo home-based high-performance training in March to achieve fitness. We will identify gyms in their respective localities for such exercises,” Bakali explained.
“National camping is scheduled for early April before another home-based training and local strength-testing matches for players’ exposure between April end and early May.”
A full national camp and international test matches will be conducted May end for the technical panel to try combinations and new players to gain international exposure.
The NAM vice-president added that individual training and local training matches against top clubs and men’s teams will continue in the first week of June.
“This will help the technical panel to screen the players for fitness and select the final squad of 15 players,” he said.
“In July, the Queens will have a final camping before travelling to South Africa to acclimatise and have some strength-testing games against fellow World Cup-bound teams.”
The Queens, ranked sixth, are in Group B alongside third-ranked England, 10th-placed Scotland and 14th-ranked Barbados.
Group A has Australia, Zimbabwe, Fiji and Tonga while hosts South Africa have Jamaica, Wales and Sri Lanka in Group C.
Reigning champions New Zealand are in Group D alongside Uganda, Singapore and Trinidad & Tobago.
Malawi Queens coach Peace Chawinga-Kaluwa said thorough preparations are key to success at the World Cup, where they target to finish within the top-five bracket.
“We should always strive to be active if we are to achieve our goal of improving on our World Cup finish and enhancing our world netball rankings. The more games we play, the more chances we have.”
Minister of Youth and Sports Richard Chimwendo Banda assured the Queens of government’s in all competitions this year.
The Queens have not been active since August when they competed in the Netball World Cup qualifiers in South Africa, where they finished second after going down 60-44 to the hosts.
They could not travel to South Africa for the SPAR Challenge as NAM could not source the required K80 million. n
