Young Desert Jewels set to shine at U-21 Netball World Cup qualifiers

• BY Michael Uugwanga   

The youthful Desert Jewels, the country’s U-21 netball team, will have a chance to prove their worth at the upcoming Under-21 (U-21) Netball Youth World Cup qualifiers, scheduled for Pretoria, South Africa, next month.

The U-21 Netball World Youth Cup will be held next year in Gibraltar from September 19 to 28, with three berths reserved for African teams.

Up to 15 players are lined up for a training camp ahead of the qualifications, supervised by renowned coach Jones Musambani.  The U-21 side will attempt to do what the Desert Jewels could not do: qualify for the World Cup after the senior squad failed to cut last year’s Netball World Cup in South Africa.

Namibia’s U-21 team has some recognised names, such as Loide Kanyolo, who plays for Afrocat Lions in the MTC Namibia Netball Premier League, and exciting Athiella Mbaha, the daughter of former Brave Warriors great goalkeeper Athiel Mbaha.  Kanyolo has been one of the best MTC Namibia Netball Premier League shooters for the past two seasons and has consistently represented the Khomas Regional netball team in the Newspaper Cup.

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