Twenty-four-year-old Iona Christian is a Scottish Thistle international, who has just competed for Team Scotland in her Commonwealth Games netball debut in Birmingham.
Christian is a versatile mid-courter, who is capable of playing both wing attack and centre positions. Having started her netball journey making her way through Manchester Thunder’s performance pathway, she moved away to Worcester university to study for an illustration degree. Here, Christian played for Vitality Netball Superleague (VNSL) team Severn Stars, before moving to Wasps for the past three seasons.
Iona Christian said, “I am so excited to be playing for Thunder for the 2023 season, back where my netball began. For the past few seasons I have been playing for Wasps, and I’m so thankful for all the opportunities and experiences that I’ve gained there. I’m looking forward to being back in Manchester and a little bit closer to home for next season.”
Christian concluded, “Thunder has one of the best pathways in the country and I was super lucky to be part of that when I was younger before I headed off to university. The coaching staff and management team have already had a huge impact on my netball career, so I’m looking forward to being led and coached by them this season. It’s also going to be pretty cool to play alongside a few familiar faces, and I can’t wait to be a part of this exciting team and get stuck in.”
Karen Greig, Head Coach and Director of Netball for Manchester Thunder, said, “Iona is another successful Thunder pathway graduate who has gone away and gained experience in the VNSL. She is now coming back home to Manchester and I’m really happy about it!”
“Iona showed during the Commonwealth Games that she can compete against the best defenders in the world. She is an intelligent and super fit athlete will offer us more flexibility over our centre court combinations. I am looking forward to working with her again and I am excited to see how she builds connections with the squad.”
