PIO Robyn Moodaly to represent South Africa Women at London Olympics

A few days ago I wrote about Welsh international and 'Player of Indian origin' Neil Taylor who will represent Team Great Britain at the 2012 London Olympics and now a friend from South Africa made me aware of the fact that 18 year old Robyn Moodaly will represent the South African women's football team in the Olympic tournament.

Banyana Banyana's teenage midfield sensation Robyn Moodaly has set her immediate sights on helping the national team to do South Africa proud at the London Olympics, but a queue is starting to form as overseas universities look to obtain the prized signature of the High Performance Centre (Tshwane) Grade 12 pupil for 2013.

"Right now, my focus is on doing my best for Banyana Banyana at the London Olympics, but I am hoping to study Sports Science next year. We have received interest from a university in the USA as well as a university in Canada, both are keen for me to study there and play for them,” said Moodaly, nicknamed 'Gundwane' (mouse) by her Banyana Banyana team-mates.

"It is now a case of deciding on the best option as far as my studies and football career is concerned. SAFA and Sasol have done a tremendous job in lifting the profile of women's football in South Africa over the past few years and the cream is rising to the top as can be seen by Banyana Banyana's results, hence the international interest in some of the Banyana Banyana players from overseas universities and colleges."

If Moodaly ends up based in the USA, she will follow in the footsteps of national team-mates in goalkeeper Roxanne Barker (Pepperdine University, California) and midfielder Kylie Ann Louw (Stephen Austin University, Texas).

Moodaly was a key member of the Banyana Banyana Olympic qualifying campaign against African opposition last year and made several contributions – mainly as a second half substitute – where she played a game-breaker role, turning matches in favour of South Africa through slick passing and well-timed tackling.

Both Moodaly was a member of the South African Under-17 Women's National Team that competed at the FIFA World Cup Under-17 Women's tournament in the Caribbean in 2010.