St Paul’s College gave an outstanding performance at the recent Belgotex Sport Easter Hockey Tournament held in Cape Town, South Africa. The team made history by becoming the first international side in the tournament’s history to reach the girls’ final.
Entering the competition as underdogs, St Paul’s quickly made their presence felt with decisive victories over La Rochelle Girls’ High School and Langenhoven Gimnasium on the opening day.
These wins secured their place in the Cup section, where they faced Stellenberg High, Peterhouse and Hoërskool Eldoraigne. Demonstrating exceptional skill and determination, the Namibian team triumphed over all three opponents, including a commanding 7-1 victory against Eldoraigne.
In a tightly contested semi-final match against Rustenburg Girls’ High, a solitary goal was enough to propel St Paul’s into the final.
The championship match saw St Paul’s College face off against Fairmont High School, a formidable opponent from Cape Town’s northern suburbs. Despite a valiant effort, the Namibian team suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to Fairmont in the final.
Still, finishing second overall in a field of 48 teams was an achievement – their remarkable journey to the championship game has set a new benchmark for international teams participating in the tournament.
The team was kitted out by sponsors Food Lover’s Market Namibia, whose support helped ensure the players represented their school and country in style.
Coaches Nevil Gora, Fortune Matawu and Jo-Andri van Heerden expressed pride in their team’s accomplishments, highlighting the players’ resilience and teamwork as key factors in delivering a performance that elevated both St Paul’s College and Namibian school hockey onto the international stage.
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