VANDERBIJLPARK – Despite battling a heart condition, Dudu Malindi remains a fighter on and off the netball court.
And this is proven by her recent selection for the Netball U17 South African squad.
The 17-year-old Hoërskool Transvalia Goal Defence (GD) said she wants to see herself playing for the Proteas one day.
At 12 years old, Malindi was selected for the provincial squad, and ever since then she has pushed herself beyond boundaries to set an example for those who look up to her.
Ster South visited the bright star who shared her journey.
Speaking on the sidelines of her routine training session, the energetic athlete said: “I started playing netball at a very young age and I loved the sport. It was not easy getting into squads, especially with my condition. I first made it for an U12 Gauteng team and since then I’ve been selected for different colours.”
Malindi said she recently skipped an opportunity to go to New Zealand for the indoor squad due to a lack of funds.
Touching on her faith, Malindi said: “I put God first because He gave me this wonderful talent, and I give my all in the court. I let no opponent scare me despite our differences.”
Openly talking about her condition, Arrhythmia, Malindi said the blackouts never stop her from performing to her fullest.
“I get random blackouts on the court due to my heart beating very fast or slow. I fall on the ground or get fits. Sometimes this happens in the court and I get up and continue playing like nothing happened,” she said.
Detailing her future plans, Malindi said she hopes to represent her country one day.
“My dream is to play for the Proteas. I want to be a role model for kids. I want to break the boundaries and show girls that you can make it in life despite your background,” she said.
Counting her supporters, she placed her mom first as well as her court mother, Adri (the school’s netball director).
Netball director Adri Olivier said: “I’m her netball mother, always trying to support and amp her. She has a lot of talent; hence we continue to push her. We hope her dream comes true and we see her in the national squad.”
“She a fighter, and she’s been through a lot. She has a fighting spirit and always picks herself up and gives 100% in the court,” said Olivier.
