National Sports

Malawi earn medal in Anoca Games

The Malawi Olympic Team arrived on Tuesday from Gaborone, Botswana winning only a silver medal during the Association of National Olympic Committee of Africa (Anoca) Youth Championship Olympic games played in Gaborone between 22-31 May.

The Malawi Team collected the single medal through Morocco-based player Chisomo Lumeta in lawn tennis after beating Nigerian player in semi-finals.

First Malawian to grace Davis Cup: Lumeta
First Malawian to grace Davis Cup: Lumeta

Although the team did not earn more medals from the number of games participated, leader of delegation, Henry Sakala told The Nation upon arrival that two athletes from Malawi in qualified for World Youth Olympics games slated for Nanjing in China this month.

“We can proudly declare that we performed better having qualified to participate in the global events in China. What remains is for our associations to keep on training the athletes,” said Sakala.

Under-17 boy’s category, Abima Chinga and Leo Chinkwaza are among the 10 athletes who have ceded to China from the Malawi athletic team after having emerged to be among the first 10 runners in the 3 000 metres and 1 500 metres respective distances.

Malawi Olympic Committee (MOC) president Oscar Kanjala said the committee will pay those athletes who qualify for the major events an amount of K500 thousand while their coaches will pocket K200 thousand and those who earn silver medal will get K150 thousand from the committees’ account.

Malawi teams competed in athletics, boxing, cycling, judo, swimming and taekwondo sporting code in this international tournament.

Africa Youth Games, organised by Association of National Olympic Committee of Africa (Anoca) draws over 4 000 participants, 2 500 athletes and 1 500 officials from 54 Africa countries who were taking part in the event.

Meanwhile, MOC has described the disqualification of the boxing team from the games as a disgrace.

Sakala said they will take unspecified action with coach Cassim Makwinja who was responsible for the boxing team despite sending him back.

“From our investigations in Botswana, it was clear that Makwinja was to blame for the miss out. He was supposed to attend a meeting of coaches where the programme for weighing in of boxers was announced,” said Sakala.

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