GEORGE SPORT - The Eden girls' U16 hockey team smashed through the proverbial glass ceiling, clinching the region's first podium position for a girls hockey team at an interprovincial tournament in 11 years.

The tournament took place at St Anne's College in Hilton in the KZN Midlands last week, 7 to 13 July, and saw provincial teams from all corners of the country square off for national honours.

Playing in the B division, the Eden girls overcame a formidable team from the North West in their bronze medal play-off to claim their spot on the podium next to Southern Free State in second and KZN Inland in first.

"It was the biggest celebration and the quickest 19-hour bus trip back home, because we had medals around our necks," said the team manager, Claudia Machelm.

Stoked with the team's overall performance, Machelm highlighted the team drawing 1-1 against the overall winners, KZN Inland, during the group stages. "We are so proud of our girls," she added.

‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’