INF President, The Hon Molly Rhone OJ CD has carried out the draw for the 2013 World Youth Netball Championships (WYNC) to be held in Glasgow, Scotland.
The draw took place at Glasgow’s £113million Emirates Arena where the WYNC will be held from August 22-31. Also present as the draw was made was Councillor Archie Graham, Chair of Glasgow Life and the Executive Member for the Commonwealth Games, CEO Maggie Murray, and members of the Scotland under-21 side.
The 2013 WYNC is being hosted by Glasgow Life and Netball Scotland and will feature some of the best young netball players from across the world.
The 10-day event, part of UK Sport’s £27million Gold Event Series and supported by EventScotland, is the first world netball event to be staged in Scotland since 1987 and will take place less than a year before the sport takes centre stage at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
The picture (right) shows Maggie Murray, CEO Netball Scotland; Councillor Archie Graham, Chair of Glasgow Life and the Executive Member for the Commonwealth Games; INF President, The Hon Molly Rhone OJ CD.
Molly Rhone said: “This event, to be held in Glasgow’s magnificent new Emirates Arena, draws together young netballers from a diversity of backgrounds and cultures, and promises to be a truly superb tournament. We anticipate there will be some closely fought matches not just between our top netballing nations but also amongst our new netball nations.
“We are delighted to welcome Israel, Malta, Namibia, Cayman, Bermuda and the Republic of Ireland to the World Youth Netball Championships for the first time. We are really looking forward to enjoying some exciting international netball in Glasgow in August 2013.”
Chair of Glasgow Life and the Executive Member for the Commonwealth Games, Councillor Archie Graham, said: “We are looking forward to welcoming the best young netballers in the world to the Emirates Arena for what will undoubtedly be 10 days of top-class action this August. The World Youth Netball Championships will give our young players and spectators the chance to experience just what it will be like during the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
“We are one of the world’s leading sporting cities and international events such as this reaffirms that position. Sport is a way of life in Glasgow as the young players from the 19 visiting nations will experience this summer. We are looking forward to the action getting under way.”
Chief Executive Officer of Netball Scotland, Maggie Murray, said: “This event is the biggest undertaking for Netball Scotland since 1987 when, in partnership with Glasgow and our International Federation, we hosted the World Netball Championships. In many ways the 2013 World Youth Netball Championships is a bigger and more significant event as it hosts 20 countries and is the platform to showcase our future as a growing sport in Scotland and, of course, our young athletes who aspire to be a Scottish Thistle.
“Furthermore, to have the opportunity to play in the amazing new Emirates Arena is a dream come true for our young talented netballers and examples once again the unwavering commitment from Glasgow Life not only to our sport but also to their unparalled ambition to be a world class leader for active living and performance sport. Our gracious thanks to Glasgow Life and our International Federation for the opportunity to grow the profile of netball in Glasgow and Scotland and to their continuing support in delivering a flagship event for the global sport of netball.”
Chief Operating Officer of EventScotland, Paul Bush OBE, said: “Scotland is the perfect stage for events, and we will see some of the world’s best young athletes compete at the World Youth Netball Championships in August.
“Youth sport is an important part of Scotland’s event portfolio and netball is one of two World Championship events Glasgow will host this year. The quality of athletes competing will be high, and we will undoubtedly get a first glimpse of some Commonwealth Games athletes with less than a year to go to Glasgow 2014.”
UK Sport, Director of Major Events, Simon Morton, said: “Today’s match draw for the 2013 World Youth Netball Championships, to be staged in the Emirates Arena – one of the many fantastic venues built for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, marks the first step on the pathway for these young players as they compete to be part of a winning home nation team in August.
“This World Championship event is not only important in its own right but will also play a key role in preparations for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. With such a crossover in players between the Youth (U21) and the Senior squads, supporters can expect to see many of the athletes that compete in August 2013 return to the Emirates Arena to challenge for Commonwealth gold one year later.
“UK Sport’s investment in this championship through our National Lottery funded Gold Event Series demonstrates our desire to nurture the enthusiasm of the British public through this event by continuing to provide a “Stage to Inspire” and encouraging participation in sport by giving people the opportunity to see world class sport live in venues close to their homes.”
The full 2013 WYNC group draw is as follows:
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Group A |
Group B |
Group C |
Group D |
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Australia |
New Zealand |
Jamaica |
England |
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South Africa |
Trinidad & Tobago |
Wales |
Barbados |
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Fiji |
Northern Ireland |
Cayman Islands |
Papua New Guinea |
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Israel |
Bermuda |
Samoa |
Republic of Ireland |
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Namibia |
Malta |
Scotland |
Singapore |