After her 16th season of elite international competition, Irene van Dyk's hold on the title of the world's best shooter is as firm as ever.
In her 100th appearance for the Silver Ferns, a stunning 52-36 defeat of Australia on 23 September 2009, van Dyk was named Player of the Match after shooting 33 goals (92%) from 36 attempts.
She then played a key role in New Zealand's 2009 World Netball Series victory, taking her full-game accuracy and dominance into the new Fastnet format. She posted three 100% shooting performances during the Series, including the Final against Jamaica.
Returning to the full-length game against England on 15 October 2009, she hit 36 (95%) of her 38 attempts, and followed up five days later with 29/31 (94%) in the 1st Test against Jamaica.
Van Dyk also topped the 2009 ANZ Championship home & away season statistics with a 93% hit rate. What's astonishing is that no other 2009 ANZ Championship shooter who played every game of the regular season managed better than 87%.
Renowned as a great target shooter, able to pull the ball down close to the post under extreme pressure, van Dyk has shown her versatility with occasional outings at goal attack for both Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic and the Silver Ferns during the past two years.
However, it was in the goal shoot position that she posted her fourth 100% game of 2008 in the 3rd Test of the New World International Series v England, and was named Player of the Match in the 1st Holden Series Test v Australia. She then headed, by a comfortable margin, the shooting statistics (183/205, 89%) for the 2008 New World and Holden Series against Australia & England.
Van Dyk grew up on a farm near Johannesburg, and captained South Africa before making New Zealand home in 2000, and becoming a New Zealand citizen in 2005. She was a member of the victorious Silver Ferns teams at the 2003 World Championship & the 2006 Commonwealth Games; was named Sportswoman of the Year at the 2004 Halberg Awards; & holds the world record for international test caps (Total to 23 October 2009: 175).
In the 2009 Queen's Birthday Honours List, van Dyk was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for her services to netball.
| Born | Wednesday, 21 June 1972 - age 37 Vereening, South Africa |
| Court Positions | GS, GA |
| Height | 1.90m |
| Test Caps | 175 (NZ - 103; South Africa - 72) - incl. five as Captain of South Africa 100th Test Match: v Australian Diamonds 2nd Test, New World International Series Vector Arena, Auckland 23 September 2009 Click here for Irene's 100th Test Photo Gallery - by Michael Bradley  Irene van Dyk's 100 Tests for NZ |
| Fastnet Caps | 6 |
| Test Match Shooting Statistics (for New Zealand) |
3725/4118 (90%) |
| Occupation | Self-employed |
| PLAYING HISTORY | |
| National Squads | Silver Ferns Squad, 2000-2009 South Africa, 1994-2000 |
| Silver Ferns Debut | 20 June 2000 v Australia, at Goal Shoot Entertainment Centre, Newcastle, NSW, Australia Fisher & Paykel Cup |
| World Championships | 1995, 1999 - for South Africa 2003, 2007 - for New Zealand |
| Commonwealth Games | 1998 - for South Africa 2002, 2006 - for New Zealand |
| ANZ Championship | Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic, 2008-2010 |
| National Bank Cup | Magic, 2003-2007 Shakers, 2000-2002 |
| PERSONAL | |
| Nickname | I's |
| Favourite Movie | Remember the Titans |
| Favourite Food | Pizza, Pasta |
| Favourite TV Show | McLeod's Daughters |