•MORRIS Munkombwe leads other runners during the during the All Africa Games and World Championships qualifiers at the Heroes National Stadium in Lusaka yesterday. Picture by GWEN CHIPASULA

By GWEN CHIPASULA –
SPRINTER Sydney Siame won the 100m race but failed to beat his personal best time or the Rio 2016 Olympic Games qualifying time during the national championships held at the Heroes National Stadium in Lusaka
Siame timed 10:36 seconds to win the heat but was slower than his personal best time of 10:18 seconds while the Olympic Games qualifying time is at 10:16 seconds.
In second position behind the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympics gold winner was Hazemba Chidamba who clocked 10:47 seconds while David Maluti timed 10:78 seconds to finish third.
In the female category, Kabange Mupopo timed 11:95 seconds ahead of Lumeta Katundu, who finished 12:41 seconds.
Charles Shimukwa won the 400m race timing 48:16 seconds ahead of Evans Chimponda who timed 48:36 seconds while the 800m event was won by Cephas Nyimbili with a time of 1:49:35 minutes with Brian Hanyanga in second place on 1:52:38 minutes.
Ruth Mwenya put up a spirited fight to win the 800m women’s contest clocking 2:17 minutes as Felistus Mwenya got second place timing 2:21 minutes.
Long distance runner Arnold Mainga was in a class of his own, winning the 5,000m men’s race after clocking 14:43 minutes.
The Zambia Amateur Athletics Association (ZAAA) was using yesterday’s event to picked runners for the Congo Brazzaville 2015 All-Africa Games.
Already, Siame, Gerald Phiri (United States-based) have already sealed places at the AAG in 100m event with Brian Kasinda and Chitambo, both 100, 200m equally heading to Brazzaville.
Mupopo, Saviour Kombe, Rhoda Njovu, Lumeta Katundu, all 400m, and Joseph Sinkala (long jump) are the runners that complete the list of those who have so far qualified.