Sonia Mkoloma

Sonia Mkoloma (born 17 January 1979) is a former English international netball player. Mkoloma made her international debut for the English national team in 1999,^[2] and during her career has competed at three Netball World Championships, three Commonwealth Games and two World Netball Series.

Sonia Mkoloma

Mkoloma in 2008
Personal information
Born	(1979-01-17) 17 January 1979 (age 45) London, England
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Netball career
Playing position(s): GD, GK
Years	Club team(s)	Apps
2005–07	Surrey Storm
2008	Central Pulse	13
2009	Canterbury Tactix	13
2010–14	New South Wales Swifts	69[1]
Years	National team(s)	Caps
1999–2015	England	123
Medal record Representing  England Netball World Championships 1999 Christchurch Netball 2011 Singapore Netball 2015 Sydney Netball Commonwealth Games 2006 Melbourne Netball 2010 Delhi Netball World Netball Series 2010 Liverpool Fastnet
Last updated: 13 December 2010

In August 2009, Mkoloma played for a World 7 team, coached by Julie Fitzgerald, that defeated New Zealand 2–1 in the 2009 Taini Jamison Trophy Series.^[3] In the domestic Netball Superleague she played with the Surrey Storm (formerly Brunel Hurricanes) with best friend and fellow England defender Geva Mentor.^[2]

Mkoloma also played in the ANZ Championship: she played for Central Pulse in the 2008 season, and for Canterbury Tactix in 2009. In 2010, she transferred to the New South Wales Swifts.^[4] Mkoloma continued with the Swifts in 2011, and was part of the England national team for the 2011 World Championships and 2015 World Cup.^[5]

On 11 April 2011, Mkoloma played her 50th ANZ Championship match between the Swifts and the Magic. By the end of the 2014 ANZ season, Sonia left the Swifts after 69 appearances and five seasons at the club. She has 95 ANZ caps.^[1]

Mkoloma is an assistant referee in the BBC 2024 revival of TV show Gladiators.^[6]

Media work

Sonia is an Assistant Referee on the revival of the game show Gladiators, alongside Assistant Referee Lee Phillips and Lead Referee Mark Clattenburg

ANZ Championship accolades

• 2013 NSW Swifts Players' Player Award
• 2008 joint-ANZ Championship Most Valuable Player

National representation

• 1999–2011; 2015 (England)
• Test Caps: 129

Netball career facts

• 2013 England Netball Hall of Fame Inductee
• Bronze medal at 2007, 2011 and 2015 World Netball Championships
• Bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games (2006 & 2010)

External links

Media related to Sonia Mkoloma at Wikimedia Commons

• 2010 ANZ Championship profile

References

1. The online home of Netball New Zealand – Netball New Zealand. Mynetball.co.nz. Retrieved on 22 September 2016.
2. Hudson, Louise (29 September 2009). "Sonia Mkoloma and Geva Mentor sign for Surrey Storm". Sportsister. Retrieved 5 October 2010.
3. "World 7, 48 defeats Silver Ferns, 44 in 1st Test". www.netballnz.co.nz. 24 August 2009. Archived from the original on 24 November 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
4. Leach, Sarah (3 November 2009). "Swifts swoop and England's prized defender signs on the dotted line". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
5. Newstalk ZB; ONE Sport (15 September 2010). "Mkoloma, Mentor snub England". TVNZ. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
6. Media, BBC (13 January 2024). "Meet the Gladiators Referees picking up their whistles to keep the Gladiators and contenders in check". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2024.