Gold on their minds - Sunshine Girls high on confidence as Commonwealth Games begins
Published:Tuesday | April 3, 2018 | 12:00 AMRobert Bailey/Gleaner Writer
Jamaica's senior netball captain, Jhaniele Fowler-Reid, says that she is in excellent shape going into this year's Commonwealth Games, as she sets her sights on leading the Sunshine Girls to the gold medal.
The Sunshine Girls are scheduled to take on Fiji in their opening match of the competition at 10:02 tonight (Jamaica time).
Fowler-Reid, who will be playing in her third Commonwealth Games, told The Gleaner that she is confident that the team can improve on the bronze medal they won four years ago in Glasgow, Scotland.
"I am pretty much excited because the team that is in camp right now is so amazing, and I know that we have great things ahead of us. I am positive that we will be on podium at the end of the Commonwealth Games," said Fowler-Reid.
"I know that we are going out there to play for more than just the bronze medal because we know that we have it in us to get the gold medal," she said.
"I think that I am pretty good shape, and my shooting accuracy is right up there, and that is a major plus for a shooter, and I feel that I am really strong under the pole and so I am ready to go out there and defend my teammates," Fowler-Reid said.
QUAD SERIES VICTORY
The Sunshine Girls will enter this year's competition high on confidence following their recent Quad Series victory in New Zealand. They ended that tournament unbeaten and also registered a 59-53 win over top-ranked New Zealand in the final.
They recorded a 83-38 win over Fiji, 65-55 over Malawi and defeated number-two ranked New Zealand 59-51 in the preliminary round of the competition.
Fowler-Reid stated that the Sunshine Girls are aiming to build on their Quad Series victory.
"We also had a really good Quad Series in New Zealand, which has given us some confidence going into this competition," she said.