The president of Netball Namibia, Rebekka Goagoses, expressed satisfaction with the organisation and progress of the Africa Netball Cup tournament, which is currently underway at the MTC Dome in Swakopmund. 

The competition kicked off on Monday and will run until Saturday, drawing attention from local netball fans.

Goagoses acknowledged that while the tournament faced some initial challenges, the organising team worked diligently to address them as they arose. “This is one of our biggest international competitions,” she remarked, stressing the importance of the event for both the sport and Namibia. “We are looking forward to the action as the competition progresses, and we’re pleased with the way things are moving forward,” she added.

A notable highlight of the tournament has been the lack of walkovers, which shows the level of commitment from the participating teams. She encouraged Namibians to come out and support the players, particularly highlighting a historical first for the tournament: the participation of a male netball team. “For the first time in Namibian history, we have a male team competing,” Goagoses stated. “For fans who want to watch, I want them to come, watch, and understand what we mean when we speak about netball.”

In one of the exciting matches in the women’s category yesterday, Uganda faced Eswatini. Uganda’s captain, Eyaru Irene, expressed her team’s determination to win the trophy, acknowledging the mistakes made during the match, but commending the players for their efforts to improve as the tournament continues.

As the competition entered day four, the spotlight match featured the South African Proteas going up against a relentless Zambia. In the first quarter, South Africa led 15-8, extending their advantage to 32-21 in the second quarter. By the third quarter, the Proteas were firmly in control with a 52-34 lead, and they went on to secure a commanding 71-48 victory in the fourth quarter.

Before going to print, other matches set to take place included Malawi versus Kenya, Namibia men versus Lesotho, Namibia’s Desert Jewels versus Zimbabwe, and Zambia men versus Eswatini. For the latest results, readers can check the New Era Facebook page. 

-lmupetami@nepc.com.na