The Gauteng East Jaguars Mixed Open B team turned promise into podium finishes, delivering a gold-medal performance at the Action Netball Interprovincial Tournament in Durban North.
Competing at the U-Pro Action Sports Arena, the Jaguars walked away with Mixed Open B seven-a-side gold and a hard-fought bronze in the six-a-side competition.
The squad of 11 players, guided by their coach and manager, arrived at the tournament balancing nerves with belief — and left with silverware to show for it.
“We went into the tournament feeling excited about the opportunity ahead, while also a little nervous about competing against the other provinces. IPTs consisted of two different competitions, both of which we participated in,” said Gabriella dos Santos.
The Jaguars’ campaign opened with the six-a-side format, where they made an immediate statement. They secured three wins from four round-robin matches, starting with a 30-20 victory over KZN before dismantling North West Gauteng 45-12.
Momentum continued with a convincing 40-23 win against Western Gauteng, before a 24-32 defeat to Western Cape Coastal saw them finish second in their pool. They fell just short in the third-place playoff, going down 29-33 to Free State.
“After this, we could already see the hard work, dedication and teamwork on our side shining through. We continued to grow stronger as a team throughout the tournament,” Dos Santos explained.
That growth became evident in the seven-a-side competition, where the Jaguars hit their stride.
They opened with a 31-23 win over Eastern Gauteng, followed by a 23-17 victory against Vaal. A narrow 29-27 triumph over Northern Gauteng kept their momentum intact before a thrilling 28-all draw against Western Cape Coastal secured their place in the final.
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With confidence building, the Jaguars produced their finest performance when it mattered most.
In a nail-biting final, they edged Western Province 31-30 to clinch gold and cap off a memorable campaign.
“Going into the match, we were simply proud to have made the gold final and never expected to take home the win,” Dos Santos said.
“Through every win and loss, we returned to our accommodation and came together as a team for our ‘fine sessions’, where we joked about the bad moments, celebrated the good ones, and most importantly, encouraged and supported one another both on and off the court.”
She added that those moments proved vital in building the team’s unity and resilience.
“This tournament allowed us to grow both individually and as a team. We are excited to see what the future holds for the Gauteng East Jaguars Mixed Opens side.”
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