By GWEN CHIPASULA –
NATIONAL athletics team coach Douglas Kalembo is confident that his athletes will mint at least four medals at the All Africa Games that get underway this weekend in Congo Brazzaville.
The 11-member athletics team is among the last batch of the Zambian contingent that leaves for Brazzaville this morning. Already in Congo are the boxers who were first to leave on Saturday while the runners, judokas, Paralympians, handballers and swimmers all leave today.
Kalembo said in an interview at the Olympic Youth Development Centre (OYDC) that his team was ready for the task ahead of them and that he was expecting a gold medal from African women 400m champion Kabange Mupopo.
“I have a good team and all of them have reached the All Africa Games standards, so I know we will bring back about four medals, and hopefully even more. I have a strong team that will also take part in the 4X100m relay,” he said.
The male athletes making the trip to Brazzaville are Sydney Siame, Brian Kasinda, Titus Kafunda and Hazemba Chidamba, who will all compete in the 100m, 200m and 4X100m relay, Mauritius based Saviour Kombe in 400m while Joseph Sinkala will compete in long jump.
Lumeka Katundu and Yvonne Nalishuwa make up the women team in the 100m race with Lumeka also doubling in the 200m race where she will be joined by Mupopo and Abygirl Sepiso.
Rhoda Njobvu and Mupopo have been entered in the 400m race with the 4X100m relay having Lumeka, Nalishuwa, Sepiso and Mupopo.