Western Cape receives Netball World Cup trophy
A HANDOVER of the much-anticipated Netball World Cup trophy from the Eastern Cape government to the Western Cape, has jumpstarted the Western Cape leg of the nationwide trophy tour ahead of the matches.
Western Cape Cultural Affairs and Sport MEC Anroux Marais received the Vitality Netball World Cup trophy from Eastern Cape Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture MEC Nonceba Kontsiwe at the Tsitsikamma Khoisan Village (Bloukrans Bridge), yesterday.
The Vitality Netball World Cup will be hosted on the African continent for the first time this year, with all games to take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from July 28 to August 6.
Cape Town will host 16 of the qualifying teams from across the world. Countries that will join host team the Spar Proteas are Australia, Barbados, England, Fiji, Jamaica, Malawi, New Zealand, Scotland, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Uganda, Wales, and Zimbabwe.
The Proteas’ are currently ranked fifth in the world. Netball SA is expected to announce the squad today.
At the last Netball World Cup in Liverpool in 2019, South Africa finished fourth. The highest finish for the team was second place in 1995.
“The Western Cape government is very happy and honoured to receive this trophy and to embark on a tour across the province. We have seen the importance of sport in connecting people from all walks of life and we hope to get the whole province excited and ready for the upcoming tournament,” Marais said.
Today, the trophy will be on display at Plettenberg Bay Primary School from 8am, at Rustdene Sport Stadium in Beaufort West from 12pm and PACT Centre in Prince Albert from 2.30pm. Tomorrow, the trophy will arrive at the Unity Park, York Street in George at 10.30am, at Imizamo Yethu High School in Thembalethu at noon, Legacy Netball Courts in Hartenbos at 2pm, followed by Riverville Sport Grounds in Riversdale at 5pm.
On Thursday, the trophy tour will commence at the Railton Sports Grounds in Swellendam at 8am, then move to Zolani Library in Ashton, Langeberg at 10.30am, Drakenstein Paarl East Spar in Paarl at 1.30pm, followed by the Malmesbury Spar and Score Centre in Malmesbury from 3.30pm.
On Friday, the trophy will be at Vredenburg Main Road from 9am then travel to an activation at the Weskus mall at 10am.