A UNIVERSITY of Worcester duo are celebrating selection to represent their country on the international stage.
Jodie Gibson is part of the England Netball squad as they embark on a number of major tournaments over the autumn, while Iona Darroch has been selected as vice-captain of the England Under-21 squad looking to defend its title at the Netball Europe Under-21 championships.
Both students have also played for Superleague netball franchise the Severn Stars for the past two years.
Jodie, who was part of the England Roses side which won an historic Gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, will again be in the squad when it faces some of the best teams in the world at the latest Netball Quad series event in New Zealand and Australia.
The series later this month will involve England, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
“It is always an honour to open the selection e-mail and see your name amongst the athletes selected to represent England,” said Jodie, of Lower Wick.
“I am extremely grateful for every opportunity I get to wear the red dress and, following our recent Commonwealth Games success, I am so excited for all the upcoming series with the England Roses.”
The following month, Jodie will travel with England to Kingston to face world number four Jamaica in the three-match Sunshine Series, with matches on October 12, 14 and 16 before assuming the vice captaincy of the squad defending its Fast5 World Netball Series title in Melbourne on October 27 and 28, in the five-a-side version of the game.
Iona will be heading out to Belfast to compete for England Roses U21s in the Netball Europe contest, which runs from October 5 to 7.
“I’m looking forward to playing with friends that have been part of the U21s squad before and also welcoming new players into the group,” she said. “We will be playing for gold and aiming to defend England’s title and I definitely believe this is something we can achieve with this squad.”
Now part of the Roses’ full-time programme since August, a more intensive programme designed to prepare players for full international status, Iona will continue to combine elite netball alongside her studies.
“It’s been a juggling act combining my university studies with training, but the university has been a great support over the last two years and has helped me to stay on top of my studies and compete in netball,” she added.
