U16 girls claim gold in Zim

Hockey
Mariud Ngula
  • 4 Months Ago 13 August 2024
The Namibian under-16 and U18 boys and girls teams showcased their skills at the Zimbabwe Junior Hockey Series in Harare, competing in international friendlies from Thursday to Sunday.

The tournament, part of a long-standing hockey development initiative between Namibia and Zimbabwe, also included Zimbabwe B sides and provided the youngsters with valuable international exposure.

The competition followed a round-robin format, culminating in the U16 girls' team clinching gold with a 2-1 victory over Zimbabwe in their final match. Namibia’s Sienna Richards was named player of the tournament for the U16 girls.

The U16 girls coach Maryke Short described the winning feeling as the best ever. She noted that the players displayed remarkable character by coming back from a 1-0 deficit to win 2-1. “The experience of coaching a national team and working with the young talent in our country was truly amazing,” she said.

Meanwhile, the U16 boys secured silver after a tough 3-0 loss to Zimbabwe in a showdown, following a 2-2 draw in regular time.



Valuable insights

The U16 boys coach, Dakota Hansen, praised his team’s performance, noting the valuable insights gained from facing unfamiliar playing styles and levels of competition. He emphasised how the experience has bonded the players both on and off the field.

“This experience has strengthened the team’s cohesion and provided key learnings that will be beneficial in future competitions. They are bonding really well. The future looks bright!” he noted.

Hilton Lima's outstanding performance earned him the U16 boys’ player of the tournament title.

The Namibian U18 boys fell 4-2 to Zimbabwe in the final, while the U18 girls narrowly missed out on gold with a 2-1 loss to the hosts.