The 2017 Gateway Mall Netball Challenge finals will be played from September 1 to 2 at Gateway Mall Netball Court in Lilongwe.
Activities will start in the morning with a trophy parade in the streets of Lilongwe before the games in the afternoon. Eight teams that qualified for the regional finals will battle for the ultimate prize.
Defending champions, Blue Eagles Sisters, Civonets, Mafco Sisters and Green Sisters Senior were seeded in the regional play-offs whereas Boma Sisters, Dowa Police, Kasungu Sisters and Kamuzu Barracks Lioness reached the finals through play-offs.
The tournament’s ambassador, Aaron Gopani, said preparations for the regional finals were at an advanced stage.
“We anticipate one of the most entertaining finals because we have given teams ample time for preparation. We are arranging several activities to spice up the finals and we hope people will enjoy watching the cream of netball,” Gopani said.
The tournament started in April at district level as over 30 teams registered in Central Region districts of Salima, Nkhotakota, Mchinji, Dowa, Ntchisi, Kasungu and Lilongwe.
The district champions qualified for regional play-offs to determine the finalists.
Malawi Property Investment Company Limited Marketing Manager, Ellen Nyasulu, said the company was aiming for a long-term partnership with netball. Mpico runs Gateway Mall, the brand for the netball sponsorship.
“We have seen great players and we are proud to be associated with the development of netball. It will be great to see more good players from the region playing in the national team,” Nyasulu said.
Mpico Limited increased this year’s sponsorship from K8 million to K25 million with K19 million going towards prizes.
The company has been sponsoring netball in the region since 2016, ending a four-year sponsorship drought.
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