Ama Agbeze

English goal defence who captained the Vitality Roses to a historic first-ever Commonwealth Games gold medal in 2018, upsetting defending champions Australia.

Ama Agbeze was born on 12 November 1982 in Birmingham to Nigerian parents. She made her senior England debut in 2001 at 19, going on to play across five positions and for at least sixteen different club teams in England, Australia and New Zealand over a career that combined elite sport with practising as a qualified lawyer. Agbeze was part of the England team that won Commonwealth Games bronze in 2006, and was named national captain in 2016. Under her leadership England won the 2016 Netball Europe Open Championships and the 2017 Fast5 Netball World Series, before the defining moment of her career: captaining England to a historic 52–51 victory over defending champions Australia in the final of the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, England's first-ever gold medal in the sport. The match was watched live by two million people and was credited with transforming the sport's profile in the UK. Agbeze made her 100th senior appearance for England in October 2018 against Jamaica. She was not selected for the 2019 World Cup and did not return to international netball, retiring with over 100 caps and four Commonwealth Games appearances. She was awarded the MBE for services to netball in 2019 and inducted into the England Netball Hall of Fame. She has since worked as a broadcaster, mediator and board director, and continues to speak on leadership and resilience.

Versatile, resilient defender capable of playing across multiple defensive positions with a calm, empathetic leadership style

A transformative captain credited with elevating netball's profile in the UK, and a pioneering voice on leadership and diversity in sport

• Commonwealth Games Gold 2018 (captain, first-ever for England)
• Commonwealth Games Bronze 2006
• MBE for services to netball (2019)
• England Netball Hall of Fame