Old Mutual invade Inter-Varsity Games
Old Mutual participated in the University of Malawi Staff Sports Association (Umssa) Inter-Varsity Games as guests for being sponsors on Saturday but they went on to emerge football champions and volleyball runners-up.
They proved to be one of the best performers in the annual event at College of Medicine (CoM) Sports Complex in Blantyre after beating The Polytechnic 4-3 on post-match penalties following a two-all draw in football and they went down 0-2 in volleyball finals against Chancellor College (Chanco).
Old Mutual marketing and communications manager Patience Chatsika, whose firm injected K3.6 million into the games, said their superb performance in the games was to prove their seriousness in promoting sports both as sponsors and participants.
“We are in sports not as sponsors alone. We also promote physical exercises among our staff and our triumph in the games is enough proof,” she said.
The visiting University of Limpopo from South Africa were crowned netball champions following a 12-5 triumph over Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Luanar) while The Polytechnic found solace in becoming darts champions.
In individual sports, Chanco dominated through Fifa referee Bernadetta Kwimbira-Nzika, who won two gold medals in women’s 200m and 800m running races. Her work-mate Russel Phiri did it in men’s 400m race.
Limpopo’s Lucy Molatuli won gold in women’s 400m while Stella Ngopola and Weston Mbewe of Kamuzu College of Nursing (KCN) excelled in women and men’s 100m races, respectively. Konzekani Zacharia of Luanar and Aaron Mwafulirwa of CoM succeeded in men’s 800m and 200m in that order.
Umssa president Bernard Thole said they are happy that the games have concluded with all the stakeholders impressed with its organisation. n
