Netball marathon is world record
TWO teams of happy, but exhausted, Launceston girls walked off the netball court as world record holders on Sunday night.
After 72 hours of continuous play, 24 girls from the Generation Netball Club now hold the Guinness World Record for the longest-ever netball match.
Smashing the previous record of 61 hours, recorded by a Canadian team in 2011, the match ended with a final score of 3772 points to 3603.
Months in the making, the Launceston netball club now have to wait about six weeks to get the feat officially recognised by Guinness.
Since the first whistle blew at 6.30pm on Thursday, the two teams of 12 players have rotated throughout the 72 hours, taking to the court for up to four hours at a time.
To mark the club’s 20th anniversary, club members Jordyn Becker, 17, and Sarah Stuart, 16, organised the event and said they were thrilled with the players’ dedication when the match finally came to an end.
‘‘It was a really good effort by everyone and all the girls played really well,’’ Jordyn said.
‘‘Everyone is really happy but also really exhausted.’’
Thanks to a large crowd of supporters in the final moments of the match, the girls were able to make it to the end of one of the toughest matches of their netball careers.
‘‘We had a huge crowd at the end which really helped us and spurred us on,’’ Sarah said.
‘‘We could not have done this without the help of our mums, all the supporters and, of course, the girls.’’
After hours of playing netball at a world record attempt at Scotch Oakburn College, Emma Kelly gets a massage from Liz Roach. Picture: NEIL RICHARDSON