Local girls shine at wheelchair champs

THREE local lasses recently returned from Thailand where they represented the South African women’s wheelchair basketball team at the International Wheelchair Basketball Federations (IWBF) Women’s U25 World Championships.

Samkelisiwe Mbatha, Duduzile Mceleni and Lungile Ndlela who all play for the KwaZulu-Natal Warriors Wheelchair basketball team said the championships provided them invaluable experience.

The trio helped the SA team finish seventh in Suphanburi, Thailand where the championships were held.

For Inanda resident and Open Air School matriculant, Samkelisiwe Mbatha, the championships were a first for her.

“I didn’t think I would be selected for the team. When we were at trials my goals were to learn from the more experienced players in the camp and have fun. When they announced I had made the squad I was shocked, but ecstatic. Playing in Thailand was a great experience for me and the team. Though we only won one game, I learnt so much from my teammates and the other competitors. I’m now using those lessons to help my brothers and sisters in the KZN set-up,” she said.

Fellow Inanda resident, Duduzile Mceleni said this year’s U25 champs was a success for the team.

“The last time a SA team played was at the inaugural champs in 2011 where we finished eighth. This time around we finished seventh which may not seem like a success but I felt the way we played was impressive. I’ve previously played in the SA women senior set up but this was my first U25 champs. I felt the girls were extremely competitive, our chair and fitness skills were right up there with the best.

“I felt perhaps where we differed to the other international teams was that they are able to practice more often than we do,” Mceleni said.

Fellow teammate, Lungile Ndlela, who has been playing wheelchair basketball since she was 14 years old concurred with Mbatha saying the world champs was a huge learning curve.

“When we left South Africa our aim was to learn more about how the other teams worked together. The competitors extremely helpful in talking to us about their training. I was so honoured to represent my country on a world stage and I felt we played extremely well against tough opposition,” she said.

The trio also spoke highly of their KZN coach, Siphamandla Gumbi, who they say helped prepare for the world champs.

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