Grace Nweke

Grace Nweke is a New Zealand netball player of Nigerian descent. She first competed for the New Zealand national netball team in September 2021, becoming the first person of African descent to play for the team.

Early life[]

Grace Nweke was born in New Zealand on 7 February 2002 to Nigerian parents. She has a twin brother and four other siblings. Her parents initially left Nigeria to go to South Korea and then moved to New Zealand. At Avondale College in Auckland she competed in high jump events as well as netball. Nweke is studying for a Bachelor of Commerce degree in information systems and marketing at the University of Auckland.^[1][2]

Netball career[]

Nweke joined the Northern Mystics, an Auckland team that competes in the ANZ Premiership, in 2019, while she was still at school. Initially recruited to be a training partner she was rapidly promoted to being a full-time member of the Mystics squad. In 2021 she set a new ANZ Premiership scoring record, scoring 852 goals from 951 attempts and scoring 50 or more goals in 12 of the Mystics' 16 games. Her performances inevitably brought her to the attention of the national selectors, who selected her initially for the Under-21 side and then for the full 2021-22 Silver Ferns squad. She made her national debut on 22 September 2021 against England in a Taini Jamison Trophy match in Christchurch but this ended in disappointment as the team lost 55-45.^[3][4][5]

References[]