Sunshine Girls Home After Second Place at World FastNet Tournament

Jamaica’s national netball team, the Sunshine Girls, returned home Monday afternoon (October 12) from England, where they finished second to New Zealand in the inaugural World Netball Series FastNet Tournament in Manchester.
Jamaica, which is celebrating 50 years in the game this year, finished ahead of both Australia and England, two countries rated above them in the International Federation of Netball Associations’ (IFNA) rankings. Australia is ranked number one, England number three and Jamaica number four.

David Mais, Chairman of the Sports Development Foundation (SDF), congratulating Captain of the Jamaica national netball team Simone Forbes (centre), and President of the Jamaica Netball Association (JNA) Marva Bernard on their return from the World Netball Series FastNet Tournament in England, where Jamaica’s ‘Sunshine Girls’ finished second to New Zealand.

New Zealand, the second ranked nation, defeated Jamaica 32-27 in the finals to win the tournament, while Australia defeated England to finish third.
The Jamaican team and officials returned home via the Norman Manley International Airport Monday afternoon. They were met at the airport by Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture, Senator Warren Newby, and chairman of the Sports Development Foundation (SDF), David Mais.

Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, Senator Warren Newby, greets President, Jamaica Netball Association (JNA) Marva Bernard at the Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA), Monday afternoon (October 12), as the Jamaican netball team arrived home from the inaugural World Netball Series FastNet Tournament in England, where they finished second to New Zealand.

The girls were then whisked off to Jamaica House, where they were greeted and congratulated by Prime Minister, the Hon. Bruce Golding, and his Cabinet colleagues, including Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Dr. Kenneth Baugh and Minister with responsibility for Information, Telecommunications and Special Projects, Hon. Daryl Vaz.

The Jamaica National netball team, the Sunshine Girls, pose in front of their photo on the wall at the Norman Manley International Airport on their return from England, where they finished second in the World Netball Series FastNet Tournament.

Jamaica’s next engagements are against Australia in the NCB Sunshine Series on October 17 and 18, and against New Zealand on October 20 and 22.