MOZ - Gimo looking forward to Turkey 2014

LUANDA (AfroBasket Women/FIBA World Championship for Women) - The 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women is still a few months away, but Mozambique international Deolinda Gimo can't wait for the moment to realise a lifelong dream.

The 1.90m forward helped her country come in second at AfroBasket Women 2013 held in her native city of Maputo in September, averaging 6.0 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.

After making her senior national team debut at AfroBasket Women 2005 in Nigeria, Gimo has become a regular member of Mozambique's women's national team over the years, making her a likely fit for Turkey 2014.

The 26-year-old is looking forward to returning to Turkey, where she competed at 2012 Olympic Qualifying Tournament Women (OQTW), in order to square off against the best national teams from around the world and meeting the "friendly Turkish people".

"It is a dream come true for me, as well as to some of my national team teammates," Gimo told FIBA.com.

"I think it will be an incredible feeling coming up against teams like the USA, Spain or France."

But Mozambique, who will make their debut in the tournament, will not count with the services of Clarisse Machanguana, a key player who retired in September.

"We want her to join the team. Even if she won't play, we want her to remain as our mentor, just the way she was in the past few years," Gimo explained.

Mozambique upset a number of AfroBasket Women title contenders in September - Senegal, Nigeria and Cameroon - in front of thousand of rowdy home fans, they finished second and are still chasing their first continental title. They came in second as well in 1986 and 2003, when they were also the tournament hosts.

"I wish I knew why we keep losing the tournament as hosts. It was not our turn to win the African championship," Gimo said, "but we should be proud of our silver medal and maybe we can win it in 2015. Who knows?"

Gimo is in her third season playing with Angolan champions club Primeiro D'Agosto, and was recently joined by fellow Mozambican Leia Dongue.

Last week, both Gimo and Dongue headlined the African Clubs Cup Women (ACCW) with staggering displays but D'Agosto were unable to prevent rivals Inter Clude de Luanda's from winning their third ACCW title in four years after a 61-60 defeat in the Final.

Angolan international Nadir Manuel scored the winning basket for Inter Clube with six seconds left to play.

"We lacked focus to win that game and we should have been able to hold our advantage with such a short period of time remaining," Gimo recalled.

"I have been competing against Nadir (Manuel) for so long, and I must say she has improved a lot in the past few years.

"No disrespect to the voters and to the voted ones, but to me, Nadir should have been crowned MVP at AfroBasket Women as well as African Clubs Cup last week."

FIBA