Rio-bound girls hard at it

Banyana Banyana are like schoolkids who have been promised something big if they pass with good grades at the end of the year. The kids would be hard at work throughout the year in anticipation of the promised gift, and the national women’s football team is in a similar situation.

Banyana players are hard at work at the Nike Centre in Pimville, Soweto, and the end goal is making the Rio Olympics team. Although the Olympics are set for August, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for Banyana – who have qualified for their second appearance at the global showdown – the preparations have started in earnest.

Banyana defender Sana Mollo, one of the more experienced players in the team, said coach Vera Pauw is doing a good job in gett ing the players focused on the job at hand.

“It is an indescribable feeling to be in this camp, preparing for the Olympics. We worked hard to get the team qualified but it is only now that serious work needs to be put in to ensure we are ready when the time comes to compete,” said Mollo yesterday.

“The coach is pushing us very hard because she wants to get the best out of every player. I believe there is nothing better than preparation in this game and the team that will clinch the title in Brazil is the one that gets it right,” said the Villiers-born Mollo.

The 27-year-old added the team are now used to pressure because they had to rise when most had written them off as qualifiers for the world’s biggest multi-sports event.

“The negative media reports about the team made us realise that we needed to do it for ourselves. We took it upon ourselves to qualify the team, not to prove anyone wrong, but to prove our capabilities as a team. We had to do it for us and we knew everyone would be happy once we did it.

“But now it is time for the bigger picture – the Olympics. It is going to be a long road to get there but we hope to enjoy every minute,” she said.