JOIN DRIVERN TAXI AS PARTNER DRIVER TODAY!
ZAMBIA’S chances of tasting silverware at the ongoing 14th IAAF World Athletics Championships in Russia seem to be fading fast as female sprinter, Yvonne Nalishuwa crashed out in 100m race yesterday.
Nalishuwa joins compatriot, Prince Mumba on the championships scrapheap while other athletes from countries like Kenya and Ethiopia have already started winning medals.
With Nalishuwa and Mumba, who also failed to qualify to the semi-finals of the 800m competition on the first day of action at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on Saturday, Zambia’s last hopes are on long-distance runner, Jordan Chipangama, who would be racing in the men’s marathon finals on August 17.
Racing in heat one of the 100metres women’s preliminary round, Nalishuwa, who was wearing bib 968, failed to withstand the stiff challenge in the group of eight athletes as she could only end up seventh.
The 18-year-old saw her hopes up in flames after failing to even better her personal best time of 12.13 seconds when she crossed the finishing line on 12.47 seconds. Nalishuwa, who was the only African in her heat, could only beat Pauline Kwalea of Somolon Islands who timed 13.53, bettering her own personal best.
German Verena Sailer won the race when she breasted the tape on 11.11 seconds, leading the top six qualifiers from the group into the semi-finals.
Sailer was followed into the semi-finals by United States’ Octavious Freeman (11.16 seconds), Norwegian Ezinne Okparaebo (11.23), Mariely Sanchez from the Dominican (11.41) and Ukraine’s Olesya Povkh (11.67).
Sixth-placed Czech Republic’s Katerina Cechova fell short of qualification after finishing on 11.67 seconds.
