Zimbabwe’s U21 Ladies Hockey Team endured a challenging campaign at the Junior World Cup in Chile, but beneath the heavy scorelines lies a powerful story of resilience, growth and national pride.
Drawn into a brutally tough pool, the Mighty Hockey Girls were thrown straight into the deep end against some of the world’s elite. Their opening match saw them face reigning giants Argentina, where they fell 13–0 — a result that, while difficult, already showed improvement from the 14–0 defeat suffered against the same opponents at the previous edition of the tournament.
The learning curve continued with their biggest setback coming against Belgium, where Zimbabwe were defeated 21–0, highlighting the vast gap in resources, professional structures and exposure between established hockey nations and emerging teams. The group stage concluded with a 3–0 loss to Wales, a match in which Zimbabwe showed greater defensive organisation and discipline despite the scoreline.
A 6–1 defeat to Chile in the playoff rounds sent Zimbabwe into the 23rd/24th classification match, but it was here that the girls produced their finest moment of the tournament.
Zimbabwe closed their Junior World Cup campaign with a deserved 2–1 victory over Namibia to secure 23rd place — a result made even more impressive considering they had lost 6–0 to the same opponents during the April 2025 qualifiers.
Goals from Nyasha Bvute and Panaka Kambadza capped off a performance filled with belief, fight and visible growth. It was a win that symbolised how far the team had come over the course of the tournament.
Yes, the results were tough — but context is crucial.
Zimbabwe remains the only hockey nation in the country consistently qualifying for World Cups, a remarkable achievement in itself. More than 60% of the squad is based abroad for their studies, making regular training camps, tactical sessions and team cohesion extremely difficult to maintain.
To compound matters, the team was almost unable to travel to Chile at all due to lack of sponsorship. It was only after a successful appeal to the Zimbabwe Sports and Recreation Committee that the tour was made possible — a reminder of the off-field battles these young athletes continue to face.
Competing on a global stage against the best young hockey players in the world is invaluable experience — experience that cannot be replicated at home. Every match, regardless of the scoreline, contributes to the long-term development of Zimbabwean hockey.
This Junior World Cup was not just about wins and losses. It was about exposure, learning, resilience and proving that Zimbabwe belongs on the world stage.
The Mighty Hockey Girls return home battle-hardened, wiser, and stronger — and with the right support, this generation has the potential to push the sport to even greater heights.
Sometimes, progress doesn’t show immediately on the scoreboard — but it’s happening.
