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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
GEMS’ coach, Lloyd Makunde, has set his sights on a podium finish at the upcoming Africa Netball Championships in Cape Town, South Africa.

He wants to build on his team’s outstanding performance at the World Cup.

Zimbabwe are expected to compete at the championships slated for October 16 to 23.

Other countries scheduled to take part are defending champions Uganda, Malawi, South Africa, Namibia, Kenya, Botswana and Zambia. “I have been going around watching games, looking for height,’’ he told The Herald.

“There are players I have identified but they are not yet ripe but I am still looking.

“We are actually looking, not just me but as the technical team, we are doing that.

“We want a podium finish. We have the experience, except maybe for Perpetua (Siyachitema) who retired.

“If the other players say they are not available, obviously, we will come up with something.

“We are looking at the top three, last year we were bronze medallists, so this time around South Africa will be there so we just want to make the podium, we want a medal.’’

Makunde said he was not worried about the time left before the event.

“Last time we went to the Pent Series in 2017, we got together and trained for a single day because of circumstances beyond our control and came back with a gold medal,’’ he said.

“These players are active at their clubs.”

The Zimbabwe Netball Association are yet to come up with the dates for the team’s camp.

“We have got a slight advantage, we played Malawi and we have played Uganda for quite sometime. “We now know the way Malawi and Uganda play, especially when we played at the World Cup.