2024 Olympics chance dims
Male short-distance runner Stern Lifa has pulled out of the Senior African Athletics Championship in Cameroon, leaving female athlete Asimenye Simwaka as the only representative.
Lifa, who has been in Malawi Olympic Committee (MOC)- funded camp training in Lilongwe alongside Simwaka for the past four weeks, yesterday said he has withdrawn because the
tournament’s dates clash with his interviews for the officer cadets at the Malawi Defence Force (MDF).
The championship in Douala, Cameroon starts June 21 to 28 while the the MDF interviews will take place from June 17 to 25.
“I love athletics so much but, as an unemployed breadwinner in a family of five children, I also have to focus on ensuring that I have a stable financial muscle,” said Lifa, bachelor’s degree holder in indigenous systems and practices.
“I have been shortlisted for interviews at the MDF and that is my only hope for employment at present. Such interviews are rare and I might not get a second chance if I miss the opportunity. This is the reason I have opted to stay behind.”
Lifa and Simwaka went straight into camp upon their return from the All Corner International Meet in Zambia, where they won gold and made a cut for the African championship, Malawi’s only remaining reliable qualifier for the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France this July.
However, the latest development means Simwaka will be the only hope for Malawi to produce a qualified athlete for the Olympics since the country’s first participation in 1972.
At present, Malawi is the only country in the 10-member African Union Sports Council Region 5 yet to produce a qualified athlete for the imminent Olympics.
MOC secretary general Henry Sakala described Lifa’s decision as a big blow to the Olympics campaign but said he could not comment until they get official communication from Athletics Malawi (AM).
Meanwhile, Simwaka, who is an MDF soldier, is expected to fly to Cameroon for the African Championship this Wednesday.
She said despite failing to undergo intensive training at the High Performance Centre (HPC) in South Africa, she is ready for the showdown.
During the past four weeks, Lifa and Simwaka have been tuning-up at the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe under the guidance of national athletics coach Pachisi Nyasulu. They also had a two- week training in Salima, where they enhanced their fitness levels with runs in the sand.
Said Simwaka: “The camp training we had in Lilongwe is good enough as it is much better than the previous preparations. All I can say is that I am ready and good to go.”
According to Nyasulu, all the necessary levels of preparations have been achieved.
“We are making sure the athlete remains fit and avoid injuries. Using the resources available and the BNS being the main running track, the athletes have been able to build endurance and strength,” he said.
At the imminent African Senior Athletics Championship, Simwaka will compete in both 100 and 200 metres as she set new personal records in Zambia.
Simwaka set a new national record of 11.56 seconds, beating her previous feat of 11.68. In 200m, she clocked 23.16 to beat her previous record by 12 milliseconds.
On his part, Lifa crossed the finish line in 10.22 seconds in 100m, 11 milliseconds faster than his previous record while in 200m, he clocked 20.76 seconds to beat his previous feat of 20.88.
