BADMINTON Zambia president challenges players

BADMINTON Zambia (BZ) president Kay Chirwa has challenged the national team players
to ‘die a little’ by aspiring to win as many medals as possible during the Botswana and South Africa tournaments.
Chirwa said in an interview that the national team must emulate Ndola City Council (NCC) prodigy Chongo Mulenga who minted gold and two bronze medals recently during the Ethiopia and Morocco Championships last month.
He said the players must put in their best during Botswana Open to be held in Gaborone from December 6 to 8 and also 12 to 18 in South Africa adding that the two tournament were important towards them participating at 2014 Nanjing Olympics Games in China.
Chirwa said the points accumulated from the two tournaments would widen the Zambian players chances of playing at the Olympics Games and that BZ does not want a repeat of the Mauritius outing where the team was booted out in the preliminary stage.
“I would like to urge our players to follow the footsteps of Chongo, you know the boy brought honour to the country by coming back home with medals from the last two international tournaments he took part in, so this is a challenge to other players to do the same.
They have to bear in mind that the coming tournaments will increase their chances of qualifying for next year’s Olympics because it is an opportunity for them gain points,” he said.
Chirwa said the association was looking for K91,000 to send the players for the two competitions and called on corporate world to come on board and help meet the budget.
Meanwhile, national coach and player Juma Muwowo has drafted a 15-man team into camp ahead of the two tournaments next month.
Some of the players that made it in the team are Donald Mabo, Mark Banda, Chongo Ngosa (Central Sports), Peter Zulu (OYDC), Mulenga (NCC), Shadreck Mwansa, Paul Mwamba and Kalombo Mulenga.
Others are sisters Olga and Evelyn Siamupangila, Carol Makunkami, Mary Chilambe (Central Sports), Kalonde Chisela (Power) and Mary Zimba (OYDC).

Times of Zambia