NETBALL – The Bahrain Pearls captured the open division bronze medals in the 36th Inter-Gulf Netball Championships, held over the weekend in Abu Dhabi, the UAE.
The Pearls’ podium finish headlined an impressive campaign for the kingdom’s two squads in the highly competitive event.
The Bahrain Gems, playing in the social category, narrowly missed out on the podium with a strong showing in what was the tournament debut for all but one of their players.
The Pearls and Gems have thus returned to the kingdom with their heads held high after a fine display of their skill, resilience, and teamwork – showcasing Bahrain’s growing strength in netball.
In the Pearls’ bronze medal campaign, they kicked things off with a tightly fought encounter against the Abu Dhabi Vets. Leading 12-9 at half-time, their momentum was disrupted when goalkeeper Sandra Le Grange suffered a knee injury, sidelining her for the remainder of the tournament. Despite a brave effort, the Abu Dhabi Vets capitalised in the final quarter to claim a 23-15 win.
The Pearls ended day one in third place on their group table, edged out only by goal difference. Day two then brought mixed results, including a 19-26 a loss to Dubai White which was swiftly followed by a strong 28-24 win against the same side. In the play-offs, the Pearls faced Al Ain in a nail-biting semi-final, narrowly losing 28-29 in a thrilling, end-to-end contest. But they were determined to finish on a high, and the Pearls once again took on Dubai White in the game for third place. The kingdom’s representatives produced an inspired performance to come away with a 24-18 victory and secure their top-three classification.
Pearls head coach Jo Reed was full of praise for her squad. “This was the strongest demonstration of our skills as a team,” Reed told the GDN. “The new additions fitted in seamlessly, and there were some great displays of creative and confident play throughout the day against very tough competition.
“The standard of netball across the GCC has risen considerably, and I’m extremely proud of every player – they gave it their all.”
Reed singled out goal shooter Khulood Sabah for special recognition, adding: “Khulood shone today. After taking time off to become a mother, she returned to her best form, earning three Most Valuable Player awards from the umpires.”
Also on the Pearls’ line-up in Abu Dhabi were team captain Stacey Clarke, vice-captains Rama Salem and Martine Timmer-Arends, Helen Stewart, Amani Al Asfoor, Gina Adendorff, Bryony Russell, and Raegan Booth.
Meanwhile, in the Inter-Gulf championship’s social category, the Bahrain Gems, led by captain Rebecca Ridler, also put in a fine showing.
The Gems started their bid on a positive note with victories over Al Ain, Sharjah, and the Abu Dhabi Silver Falcons.
Riding high on confidence, they then faced Riyadh in a fiercely contested match, but their 13-21 defeat did not reflect the tight battle on the court. Showing great character, the Gems bounced back with a commanding 22-11 win over Fujairah, led by the superb defensive work from Ridler and Helen Clarke. In their final match, the Gems faced eventual social division winners Abu Dhabi, who proved too strong on the day with a 27-9 victory. The Gems, coached by Claire van Minnen, were thus ranked fourth overall.
The other players on the Gems’ roster were vice-captains Jeannine Wessels and Chloe Pankhurst, Shamsa Thomas, Bella Baker, Tiana Cockerill, Dana Jaberi, and Aicha Arouche.
“There were lots of takeaways for both teams, and we will use this experience to build towards the next tournament in the autumn,” said Reed.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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