MBABANE – The stage is set for the culmination of the Tinkhundla Under-18 Talent Search Netball Tournament.
This follows an official draw held at the Eswatini Sport and Recreation Council (ESRC) boardroom yesterday.
The draw, which confirms the fixtures for the National Finals taking place this coming Saturday at OlympAfrica at Lobamba, was spearheaded by Eswatini National Netball Association (ENNA) Secretary Nkabinde Shabalala, ESRC Media Officer Dumsani Ntiwane and Sports Development Officer Nicholas Nyoni.
The tournament, backed by E350 000, aims to highlight the developmental progress of netball across the regions.
Speaking during the event, Shabalala noted that the talent search has already identified 124 athletes across the country, with the ultimate goal being to groom these players for high-performance levels.
Dumsani Ntiwane extended an invitation to the public and scouts from major clubs to attend the games, which are free of charge, emphasising that the youth need to be supported.
The eight finalists, representing the best two teams from each of the four regions, have been split into two competitive groups.
Action will commence with a ‘bomb start’ at 8:30am. The group stages will run concurrently on two courts before transitioning to the knockout rounds in the afternoon.
SEALING THE DEAL: Eswatini National Netball Association Secretary Nkabinde Shabalala (left) with ESRC Media Officer Dumsani Ntiwane, while ESRC Sports Development Officer Nicholas Nyoni looks on during the Tinkhundla Under-18 National Finals draw. (Pic: Sanele Jele)