PURE GOLD
England netball team’s Commonwealth glory
WITH screams of delight and disbelief, with hugs, tears and a huge messy pile-on in the centre of the court, the England netball team celebrate one of the country’s greatest sporting achievements.
Helen Housby gave the Red Roses their historic Commonwealth Games win by scoring in the last second of a match against overwhelming favourites Australia, making it 52-51.
Even as the ball dropped through the hoop at the Gold Coast court, Helen’s face told the incredible story.
Netball gold had gone to England, the first time it has been won by any nation other than Australia or New Zealand since it was introduced to the Games in 1998.
As Eboni Beckford-Chambers screamed in glee and Kadeen Corbin did backflips across the court, the Aussies wept, devastated at missing the chance of a fourth Commonwealth gold.
Helen, 23, who grew up on a farm in Cumbria and now plays in Sydney, later relived the winning moment. She said: “I just remember having the ball in my hands and then running away screaming. To score the winning goal in the final against Australia in the last second... every single box has been ticked. I am just so happy.”
After the celebrations she joked: “A pile-on has never felt so good. Sorry for crushing your leg.”
Ecstatic coach Tracey Neville, 41, sister of Manchester United ex-footballers Gary and Phil, recalled the tension during the match and joked: “Bloomin’ heck. I actually said to the team, ‘Can you win by a few more goals because this isn’t pleasurable on the bench’.”
This Morning’s Holly Willoughby, 37, who was urged by netball fans to get the team “on the ITV sofa”, tweeted: “Huge congratulations on an unbelievable performance and win. What an achievement!”
With the World Cup being held in Liverpool next year, England star Geva Mentor, 33, said: “Hopefully this is the start of something amazing for the sport in our country.”
Captain Ama Agbeze, 35, has previously told how the sport helped her overcome shyness. “As a child I was really shy, my mum would take my arm, put her hand behind my back and push me forwards.
“The more I played netball the more the sport became that hand pushing me forwards.”
Now this against-all-odds victory has propelled Ama and her team-mates right into the limelight and into the nation’s living rooms.
Helen’s unbelievable last-second goal was watched at court-side by parents Gillian, 48, Sidney, 50, sister Melanie, 29, and her nine-year-old nephew, Liam.
Her brother Phil, 28, Liam’s dad, tuned in early yesterday morning in the UK and said: “It was amazing to see her score the winning goal. I can still remember her practising on the farm. She used to play by herself in the yard. She would shoot from everywhere and try out her moves. It has certainly paid off.”