By MOSES CHIMFWEMBE –

SPRINTER Sydney Siame yesterday rekindled Zambia’s hopes of minting the first medal at the ongoing Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games in China after storming the finals of the 100m race.
Siame, a silver medalist at the Botswana Africa Youth Games, put up an impressive performance to finish second in heat four with the time of 10.58 seconds, just behind Trae Williams of Australia, who timed 10.51 seconds to win the race to qualify for Saturday’s finals.
Despite finishing second in Heat Four, Siame’s time beat the winners in the other three
heats as Kenta Oshima of Japan, who finished first in Heat One timed 10.62 seconds while the winner of heat three, Same Ekobo of Spain timed 10.73 seconds.
The Zambian sprinter was also faster than Jamaica’s Raheem Chambers, who finished in pole position after timing 10.68 seconds in Heat Two.
Siame, who could not hit his personal best of 10.51 seconds, outclassed Tyler Bowe of Bahamas, who timed 10.78 seconds in third place while Dius Clauzelma of Saint Lucia finished fourth with 11.24 seconds on the clock, just ahead of Mohamed Saad of Bahrain, who timed 11.29 seconds.
Benin’s Mousa Abdoulaye finished sixth with 11.52 seconds ahead of Daniel Lozereau of Mauritius and Kimwaua Makin of Kiribati, who clocked 11.76 and 11.77 seconds respectively.
Siame’s quest for silverware at the Games continues tomorrow when he takes to the tracks in the finals of the 100m.
The Zambian will have to contend with Williams, Oshima, Ekobo, Chambers, together with Kristoffer Hari of Denmark, who finished second in Heat Three on 10.82 seconds, the same time as runner-ups Meshaal Almutari of Kuwait in Heat Two and Venezuela’s Josneyber
Ramirez in Heat One.
Meanwhile, Brian Kasinda (200m), Godfrey Chama (800m) and Zambia’s only female runner Abigail Chongo (200m) get their campaign underway at the Games today.