Cape Town - SPAR Proteas captain Bongi Msomi has quite literally become the poster child for Netball in South Africa as the country counts down to the World Cup.
Msomi was recently on the cover of the well-known Glamour magazine that focuses on fashion, beauty and lifestyle content for women. She is no stranger to not only promoting her sport, but also inspiring young girls and boys to get into the sport .
The captain was in an environment that was very different to that of that of what she is known for as a netball player.
If you thought uyangazi or you knew me.., trust me, I suprise myself too and I love it 😀🤭. Thank you @GLAMOUR_sa @PUMASouthAfrica and your teams, I love me like this 😀👌🏽 pic.twitter.com/c2hFiwRSNC
— Bongi Msomi (@BongiweMsomi2) June 9, 2023
Msomi donned various outfits including her Spar Proteas World Cup kit in the magazine spread. No doubt she has not only raised the profile of the sport as well, as the netball showcase nears later in July.
“I just kept thinking in my head, when I first saw that picture on the front cover, how did I do that! I don’t think people do understand how shy I used to be, I don’t feel as shy anymore and having to be dressed like that and a picture going viral, it was one of the times where I had to come out of my comfort zone. It was a cool thing to do, that is something different to what you usually do and that I do have the respect of the people that ask me to get out there and be part of a massive shoot as a Puma athlete. ”
There's a different me in me! Hence I'm able to back myself up 🤭@GLAMOUR_sa @glamourmag@PUMASouthAfrica@RocNationSI#ChangingTheNarrative💎 pic.twitter.com/7cdLJK8slF
— Bongi Msomi (@BongiweMsomi2) June 11, 2023
“I’m really privileged to be part of such platforms. I look at it as, even if I am uncomfortable at times but if it’s doable, I just go and do it, thinking it’s opening up the doors as for other athletes that are coming after me. If I can do it and do it at my best then, I think they will look at netball and say netball isn’t so bad, we can look at such things compared to Bongi. You take on these things and say let me just go for it and see the impact and how women in sport are seen.
“This year is about women and I have thought about this a couple of times, how can I not be in training shorts and training vests and all sweaty. If I get a chance of just being different and that we are not just one dimensional, we can be seen and be respected. I look at the Glamour magazine (shoot) and every time I read it I feel so proud to say netball has not just given me a platform of being able to catch and pass a ball, but being able to figure out myself even more but also gain so much confidence in what I do, being part of so many things I wouldn’t be part of.“
The interest in the Netball World Cup is slowly picking up pace as the tournament kicks off in just over a month. The netball world will descend on Cape Town in July for the tournament starting on 28 July.
@AliciaPillay56
IOL Sport