Mwaungulu urges athletes to aim higher
Athletes in the country have been urged to aim higher to get good rewards in international competitions.
Former Athletics Association of Malawi (AAM) president Dunstain Mwaungulu said this in his motivational speech on Saturday during the Southern Region Athletics Track and Field held at St. Andrew’s International High School in Blantyre.
Mwaungulu looks on
He said athletics has potential to contribute to the socio-economic development of athletes and Malawi in the general.
“I would like to call upon athletes, coaches and administrators to consider the standard qualifying time and records whenever you compete because there are greater rewards,” said Mwaungulu, a judge of the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal who was the guest of honour.
“For example if you win gold medal you get $500 000 [about K367 million] and $300,000 [about K220 million] for silver.”
He said from at least 12 international competitions held every year, the athletes could make a fortune if they did well in at least three events.
“With this, you will be able to employ managers to manage you.Not even judges like myself can earn that much at once,” he said.
While applauding St. Andrew’s International High School, he appealed to parents and guardians to support the children to pursue careers in athletics apart from education.
Lawyer Chimwemwe Kalua, who was one of the sponsors of the competition, also encouraged parents and guardians to give a chance to their children to consider taking up sports as equally a serious career.
He also urged corporate institutions, organisations and individuals to support sports, especially athletics.
Southern Region Athletics Committee chairperson Mzee Makawa said the competition was organised to select potential athletes to represent the region during National Track and Field Championship in Lilongwe on June 16.
He also appealed to AAM to reconsider assisting regional committees as it was the case before to enable them hold such competitions and scout for talent.
Cephas Kasteni was one of the participants and won gold medal in 1 500m in 3:59:84 minutes while St. Andrews International High School student Ruth Makuta took the competition by storm by winning 100m 10:66 seconds. n
