It may not have been the medal they were hoping for at the start of the Netball World Cup (NWC) but in the end, Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls Assistant Coach Shawn Murdock says they are happy to have won the bronze.

The Sunshine Girls, who entered the tournament as one of the favourites to win the gold medal, defeated 2019 champions New Zealand 52-45 in the third-place play-off in Cape Town, South Africa, on Sunday. The victory, also ended the Jamaicans 16-year medal drought at the championship.

“We have to be satisfied with this medal…we came here for the gold but [it wasn’t to be] this time around,” Murdock, who was installed as the team’s assistant coach earlier this year, told the Jamaica Observer.

“The ladies fought hard throughout the tournament but we made some crucial errors in one game [semi-final against Australia], and that cost us the gold medal. But nonetheless, we are grateful for the bronze medal and proud of the ladies and how they performed,” he said.

“This bronze-medal game against New Zealand was a very tough game, but our ladies were up for the task because we knew it was Independence Day in Jamaica and the ladies were keen to deliver a medal on Independence Day as our gratitude to the country and as proud Jamaicans,” Murdock said.

The Jamaicans were led to victory courtesy of the brilliant shooting display from Captain Jhaniele Fowler, who netted 43 goals from 44 attempts.

She received support from Shanice Beckford, who contributed nine goals from 11 tries.

Maia Wilson top-scored for New Zealand with 19 goals from 21 attempts.

The Jamaicans started the match confidently as they quickly jumped out to a 14-11 lead at the end of first quarter. Fowler netted 12 of her team’s 14 goals in the quarter.

The Sunshine Girls, who are ranked fourth in the world, two places below New Zealand in the rankings, maintain their three-goal advantage over their opponents in the second stanza as they etched out a 24-21 lead at the end of the period.

The Jamaican defensive unit, led by Vice-Captain Shamera Sterling, Jodi-Ann Ward and Latanya Wilson, made a number of crucial stops to prevent their opponents from reducing the deficit.

Fowler, who is rated as the best shooter in the world, also had a good second quarter for the Jamaicans as she scored eight of her team’s 10 goals in the period.

The Jamaicans were guilty of committing 12 turnovers in the first half while their opponents had 15.

Jamaica, who last medalled at the NWC in 2007, matched their opponents’ stride for stride in the third period as both teams fought keenly on every possession.

However, at the end of the period the Sunshine Girls managed to outscore the Silver Ferns 14-11.

Sunshine Girls gave nothing away to their opponents in the fourth quarter as they were patient in attack and ball movements across the court and in the end, outscored their opponents 14-13 to take home the victory.