By MWANGALA LISELI –

THREE Zambian short-distance runners on Wednesday set off for Europe to compete in tomorrow’s Switzerland La Chaux de Fonds Meet.
The trio, Brian Kasanga, Chidamba Hazemba and Sydney Siame, will link up with compatriots Kabange Mupopo and Saviour Kombe, who this week raced in France.
Kasanga, Hazemba and Siame will compete in 100 metres and 200 metres races while Mupopo and Kombe will take part in the 400m race for women and men, respectively.
Zambia Amateur Athletics Association (ZAAA) communications manager, Davison Mung’ambata said Kasanga, Hazemba and Siame would take part in the Swiss Meet to gain exposure and try to qualify for the world championships.
Mung’ambata said at the moment, only Mupopo, Kombe and Gerald Phiri had qualified to the world championships.
He said their participation in Switzerland would enable them to improve their performance as they would be racing against some of the best athletes in the world.
“Three athletes left on Wednesday to join Mupopo and Kombe in Switzerland for the La Chaux de Fonds Meet. We are trying to qualify them for the world championships. Their participation at the event will also expose them to unique athletes in the world and this will encourage them to improve their performance even further,” he said.
Mung’ambata said ZAAA was trying to qualify more athletes to represent the nation at the world championship to boost Zambia’s chances of reaping medals.