Several south west London korfball players will represent the capital at this Sunday’s national inter-area korfball championships in Bristol.
Coach Swaraj Thancanamootoo has named a 12-person squad featuring men and women from six teams in the London area, including three players for Croydon-based national champions Trojans.
And Thancanamootoo believes his London squad, who won the tournament in 2010 and 2011, has the potential to repeat that success.
“It will be tough, but I think we’re in with a chance,” he said.
“We have a mixture of experienced players and some promising new recruits in the London squad this year and I’m excited to see how they gel.”
The championships pitch the best non-international players from each area against each other.
Kathryn Goodridge, Sam Brooks and Tony Woodvine are the three players selected from Trojans, while Tooting-based team Bec also have three representatives in Tiago Almeida, Irina Casado and Kim Munro.
Supernova, based near Blackfriars, have three players in the squad – Anke Robijn, Neil Kempston and Eiti Laure Stein.
Luke James of Croydon, Jonathon Taylor of Mitcham and Heather Ikwuemesi of Epsom-based Nomads make up the numbers.
Korfball is a mixed team sport with four male and female players on each team and combines both basketball and netball.
It was invented in 1902 by a Dutch schoolteacher who wanted a game his co-educational pupils could play together.
Feature image of Irina Casado, courtesy of the London Korfball Association, with thanks
