Fiji To Make Semis - It's Parr For The Course

Illawarra Mercury

Friday November 9, 2007

By LUKE KEENAN

FIGTREE'S Marji Parr is bent on helping Fiji reach the semi-finals at the World Netball Championships in Auckland.

The talented defender, who plays for Corrimal Cadets in the Illawarra A1 competition, will suit up for the country she grew up in on Sunday night against Singapore.

Parr was a member of the Fijian side which finished eighth at the last world titles held in Jamaica in 2003.

But this time around, Fiji, whose pool also includes Jamaica and Cook Islands, have great expectations.

There is a lot of new blood in the side, which has been seriously bolstered by the inclusion of experienced former New Zealand goal keeper Vilimaina Davu.

"We're actually looking at a semi-final finish, at least - top-four is our aim," a buoyant Parr said.

"It's a big jump but I think this team can actually do it. We've played some confident netball in the last month.

"I am so excited to be a part of it. I'm honoured to be re-selected. It's been a long road with a lot of suffering and a lot of sacrifices."

Parr has spent the past six weeks in camp preparing for the week-long, 16-nation tournament, which starts tomorrow night.

That camp included fitness sessions in Fiji's gruelling Sigatoka sand dunes and extensive match time in Suva.

She also took part in a two-week tour of NSW, which included a game at Berkeley against an Illawarra side.

"We're pretty revved," she said.

"We're ready - there's been heaps of preparing."

Parr's husband, Scott, will be in the crowd on Sunday, as will a contingent of netball fans from Corrimal.

"There is a group of a dozen women from Corrimal, my home club, coming over to support - they're all flying in on Saturday," Parr said.

"For me it's a very big thing to see personal friends in the stands cheering for me and my team, so I'm really honoured that they would do that."

The first game of the tournament pits hosts and defending champions New Zealand against Malawi tomorrow night.

Australia, who lost to the Kiwis in the 2003 final, open their campaign against Samoa on Sunday night.

"It's (the tournament) a big thing at the moment (in Auckland)," Parr said.

© 2007 Illawarra Mercury

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