Malawi sweep x-country medals

• But there were no medals

Malawi athletes, with contemptuous ease, dominated the Confederation of African Athletics Southern Africa (CAASR) Cross-Country Championship that could just not end without foreign participants being bored by shocking absence of medals in Blantyre yesterday.

Literally, in overgrown Njamba Freedom Park bush, athletes from four countries competed on a shoddily slashed running route. But if complaints of inadequate toilets, lack of uniforms for the home team and poor sound system were not enough, the visitors left Njamba feeling sick.

Hosts, Athletics Association of Malawi (AAM) general secretary Frank Chitembeya, speaking on a microphone that switched itself on-and-off, with guest of honour Youth and Sports Minister Grace Chiumia listening, apologised to national teams from Malawi, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Botswana that “medals are not yet ready…we will send them to your respective countries”.

All this soiled an otherwise dominant Malawi display that saw the local athletes win gold medals in three of the four categories.

Little girl Mercy Malembo from Nsalu in Lilongwe, Abina Tchinga and Kephas Kasten breezed their way to championships for junior women (six kilometres), men (eight kilometres) and senior men (12 kilometres) respectively.

Signs of something about to go wrong emerging when the 15-year-old barefoot Malembo was, in the last lap, left to guess the direction to the finishing line. Guides were then scattered with some chatting. Chaos!

“I thought there was one more lap that is why I headed in that direction. I did not expect to win, but I am not surprised to do it. I also won a national championship,” said Malembo.

She clocked 21:39:00 minutes with Tchinga, Kasten and senior women Zimbabwean winner Olivia Chitate finishing in 25:26:35, 36:59:20 and 28:46:15 minutes respectively amid cheering fans.

Kanani Eunice of Namibia took second place in junior women category in 21:49:91 minutes. Malawian Harry Sichali trailed compatriot Tchinga on 25:27:32 minutes. Constance Nazanga of Zimbabwe was second in senior women section, clocking 28:59:44 minutes with another Zimbabwean emerging a runner up to Kasten in 37:40:18 minutes.

“It was a good competition and the people are friendly. The venue was fine, but the toilets were not enough. We athletes need enough toilets during such a competition. And the breakfast was not good enough. We were told to get just two slices of bread when some of us can even get eight. Eventually, they understood us and gave us more,” said Chitate.

Earlier, Chiumia said she was so impressed with the raw talent that graced the event and promised that government will invest more in rural talent.

AAM president Godfrey Phiri thanked his committee for hosting the event at short notice after being offered last December when the Seychelles withdrew due to political reasons. n