MBABANE – It is a mission accomplished for the maiden Tinkhundla Netball Talent Search Competition.
The initiative, which is set to reach its climax next month, has already lived up to its mandate of discovering the kingdom’s next generation of netball stars. On Saturday, March 14, the Under-18 competition swept across seven venues nationwide, with the government reportedly injecting E350 000 into the programme to unearth raw talent.
The regional phase successfully whittled down 41 participating teams to a final eight. Two teams from each region will now converge on OlympAfrica on April 18 for the national finals.
The Minister for Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs, Bongani Nzima, previously emphasised that this talent search, which also incorporates football, is designed to identify untapped gems from the Tinkhundla centres for the future benefit of the national squad. While Senators recently raised concerns over delays in the football tournament, the netball association is already reaping the rewards.
The Eswatini National Netball Association (ENNA) has hailed the initial phase as a resounding success. Secretary General Nkabinde Shabalala confirmed that a significant number of young girls have been shortlisted for an elite development programme.
These prospects will be integrated into the Under-20 National Team structure, with the aim of forming a formidable squad for the Region V Youth Games in Mozambique this December.
A total of 115 players were identified across the country. The Lubombo region proved to be the most fertile ground for talent with 46 prospects, followed by Shiselweni with 36. Hhohho identified 20 players, while 19 were selected from the Manzini region.
Siyakhula Netball Team were champions of stream B under the Manzini Region during the regional phase of the Tinkhundla Talent Search Netball Competition. (Courtesy pic)