The Sunshine Girls kicked off Jamaica’s Independence Day celebrations on a high as they beat New Zealand 52-45 in the third-place playoff of the Netball World Cup to claim the bronze medal on Sunday.

Jamaica, who remained unbeaten until their semifinal loss to Australia, rebounded with a spirited performance to clinch third in Cape Town.

The girls opened with a close 14-11 lead after the first quarter before playing out a tough 10-10 draw in the second quarter as they went into the halftime break with a 24-21 lead.

Jamaica extended their advantage in the third quarter following a 14-11 score before finishing the job in the final quarter, with a nail bitting 14-13 lead to a second consecutive win over the ‘Silver Ferns’ to secure the medal.
Captain Jhaniele Fowler again led from the front, knocking down 43 goals, while Shanice Beckford supported with nine.

The bronze is Jamaica’s first medal at a World Cup in 16 years and completes a valiant campaign by the girls that has captured the imagination and respect of fans globally as well as their peers.