Prison Queens have been crowned champions of the One NICO Top 12 Eastern Region Netball Cup after defeating Airforce Falcons 55-33 in the final.

The victory secured Prison Queens the regional title and a place in the national One NICO Netball Cup competition, where teams from across Malawi will compete in Lilongwe in the coming days.

Prison Queens, Airforce Falcons and Genius Netball Queens will represent the Eastern Region at the national competition.

The champions received K1.5 million in prize money, while runners-up Airforce Falcons walked away with K750,000. Third-placed Genius Netball Queens received K500,000, while fourth-placed Prison Reserve took home K350,000.

Speaking after the two-day tournament held at Cobbe Barracks in Zomba, NICO Holdings Marketing Officer Sharon Chirwa expressed satisfaction with the organisation and standard of play.

Chirwa said the tournament attracted 12 teams, with players demonstrating impressive skills and high levels of competitiveness.

She reaffirmed the company’s commitment to promoting women’s netball and creating opportunities for talented players to develop their abilities.

Chirwa also expressed excitement that a 12-year-old girl was recognised as the tournament’s best-performing player, describing it as an encouraging sign for the future of netball in Malawi.

“Our goal at NICO Holdings is to identify talented young netball players and help them develop their skills so that they can eventually represent the national team,” said Chirwa.

Meanwhile, Eastern Region Netball Committee Chairperson Stella Banda described the tournament as a success.

Banda said the introduction of the One NICO Top 12 Eastern Region Netball Cup was making an important contribution to the development of the sport by giving female players a platform to showcase their talent and gain valuable competitive experience.

However, Genius Netball Queens and Lydia Queens owner Ida Chidora expressed concern that some teams included players who already feature for Malawi’s national netball team, the Queens.

Chidora argued that the tournament was intended to identify and nurture emerging talent, particularly among younger players who might otherwise struggle to gain recognition.

She suggested that teams featuring players from the top domestic league and the national team should compete in separate groups.

According to Chidora, such an arrangement would give younger and less experienced players a better opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and help organisers identify new talent that could strengthen Malawi’s future national team.ent praise.