The World Youth Netball Championships came to a spectacular finish tonight with a nail-bitingly close game between Australia and New Zealand. The kiwis took it home with 52 goals to Australia’s 47.
New Zealand’s coach, Janine Southby, said: “The team are all elated! We knew it was going to be fast, furious and physical but they took it in their stride and they really worked their hardest.”
New Zealand’s captain, Storm Purvis, said: “I’m feeling really overwhelmed, the crowd definitely helped us through.”
The World Youth Netball Championships welcomed the biggest crowds ever seen for a Netball event in Scotland. Over 12,000 spectators and 400 players and officials from far and wide have come through the doors of the Emirates Arena to support the 20 teams taking part in the Championships over the past ten days.
The Opening Night saw a record breaking 3000 strong support come along to cheer on the home nation to a 72 – 21 defeat of the Cayman Islands. Last night (Friday 30th August) Scotland lost by only 3 points against Namibia with a final score of 48 – 51 to be placed 12th in the tournament.
Scotland under 21s Team Captain, Lynsey Gallagher, said: “I was really pleased with our performance. Although the game didn’t go our way we fought until the end and it was a performance we can be proud of.”
The 7th World Youth Netball Championships has featured the best young netball players from across the world. The 10-day event, which is part of UK Sport’s £27million Gold Event Series, was the first world netball event to be staged in Scotland since 1987 and has taken place less than a year before the sport takes centre stage across the 11 days of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Chair of Glasgow Life and the Executive Member of the Commonwealth Games, Councillor Archie Graham, said: “The World Youth Netball Championships really has been a resounding success with over 12,000 people coming along over the ten days. I am delighted at the support the people of Glasgow and Scotland have given the event and the teams. The commitment and enthusiasm the supporters have shown over the ten days is fantastic, especially ahead of next year’s Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
“I would like to express my thanks to all twenty teams who have come from far and wide to compete. We have been blown away by the talent, dedication and enthusiasm of these young players.”
The competing countries were: Australia, Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, England, Fiji, Israel, Jamaica, Malta, Namibia, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Papau New Guinea, Republic of Ireland, Samoa, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago and Wales.
The 2013 WYNC was delivered in partnership between Glasgow Life on behalf of Glasgow City Council and Netball Scotland with funding support from EventScotland and UK Sport.
For full results click here
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