Mulenamaswe and Mupenda take on Singapore's Super League
Netball
The two are following in the footsteps of Eve Kamutushi and Viva Kamberipa.
Two of the Debmarine Desert Jewels’ first-choice defenders, Mwale Mulenamaswe and Cornelia Mupenda, will depart today for Singapore on a one-month contract to compete in the annual Deloitte Netball Super League.The senior team players, yet to be assigned clubs, were scouted after their outstanding performances in June last year at Australia’s Pacific Netball Series, where the Desert Jewels celebrated a 54-51 victory against Tonga. The Namibians also finished the tournament strong in a 54-36 bronze final win against Samoa.
Mulenamaswe and Mupenda will be joining the second and final round of the Super League, which started on 8 February and is set to conclude on 23 March.
The two were given a send-off on Friday by the Namibia Sports Commission (NSC). Mupenda was sent off in absentia, as she is based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The most recent Namibians to be scouted for similar international netball competitions were Eve Kamutushi and Viva Kamberipa in 2013.
A dream come true
Speaking to Sport Wrap, Mulenamaswe expressed elation at the opportunity to play professional netball in Singapore.
“I am so excited, I cannot wait for my departure on Monday. I am going to be a Singaporean,” she quipped.
Looking forward to the experience, she added that she will be sharing every step of her journey with her compatriots via Instagram. “You won’t miss anything, so stay tuned!” she remarked.
Playing international netball is a dream come true, she admitted. “This opportunity means a lot to me. Being scouted and given the chance to fly out of Africa to play in Singapore just goes to show how much talent we have in Namibia.”
She also expressed gratitude to those who made the journey possible. “To the sports ministry, Debmarine Namibia, MTC Namibia, Netball Namibia, our stakeholders, technical staff, and most importantly, our family and friends – we are truly honoured to have you as part of our journey.”
Opportunities for the youth
Speaking at Friday’s occasion, NSC chief administrator Freddy Mwiya lauded the initiative, highlighting its potential to create opportunities for Namibian youth in international netball.
“The moment you do well, people take notice. They will want to see Namibia, and that is what we call sports tourism,” he said.
Mwiya also cautioned the athletes against doping. “Please stay away from any substance abuse. The future is very bright, and if you stay disciplined and dedicated, you can achieve great things. Like what happened with Uganda and Malawi which now have several professional players competing internationally, including in London and other top leagues,” he said.
Netball Namibia vice-president Conny Samaria assured the players of the federation’s full support. “We wish them well, and as a country and a federation, we are fully behind them. We know they are going to make us proud,” he said.
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