Womens basketball team out to create history

The Fiji women’s basketball team for the first time in their history will compete in the Oceania qualifying tournament for a place in next year's Olympics in Beijing.

They will play against New Zealand and Australia next week in Dunedin where two teams will qualify from the Oceania region.

Should the Fiji team fail to qualify at the Oceania Women's qualifying tournament, they will have a second chance in the repecharge which is scheduled to be held in Europe in June 2008.

Fiji women’s coach Michael Whippy has retained the same players for the playoffs that won the gold medal in the Pacific Games.

The team departs for New Zealand on Sunday.