Aiken Rejoins Sunshine Girls

KINGSTON:

The Jamaica Netball Association (JNA) has announced that ace goal shooter Romelda Aiken will arrive in the island on Friday to join the training camp for the national team, which is about to begin preparation for an anticipated tour of England next month.

Aiken has decided to rejoin the Sunshine Girls and has expressed a desire to be part of the thrust to take the team to the highest levels.

Locally, Aiken has also represented Jamalco in the Berger Paints Super League competition.

National coach Oberon Pitterson-Nattie expressed confidence that the return of Aiken would add necessary depth to the Jamaica squad which is currently ranked third in the world.

Jamaica recently claimed Carib-bean supremacy after winning all its matches at the AFNA Tournament in Trinidad and Tobago last month.

The national team is also gathering momentum for the International Fast 5 Series in New Zealand in November. The 6'5" Aiken, who represents the Queensland Fire in the ANZ Championships, last represented the Sunshine Girls at the World Netball Championships (WNC) in Singapore in July, 2011.

The 22-year-old Aiken, who is one of the most respected goal shooters in the sport, took a break from the national team after the World Championships and decided to remain in Australia where she has lived and played for the past four years.

She was an integral part of the Queensland Fire's championship effort in 2011, when they claimed the winners' trophy, and was also a key member of their 2012 team, which recently completed a hectic season.