Athlete Simwaka wins gold in Morocco

Malawian athlete Asimenye Simwaka yesterday won gold in 400 metres (m) at national athletics championship in Cameroon.

The athlete, who is also a Malawi national women’s football team player, clocked 52.57 seconds to beat her record of 52.59 seconds.

However, in an interview yesterday Athletics Association of Malawi acting general secretary Mzee Makawa said she has missed the Olympic Games qualifying time of 52.35.

He said: “We would like to commend Asimenye Simwaka for putting Malawi on the map by winning gold in Cameroon. This shows that Malawi has good athletes, who just need to be exposed to do well.

“Although she has failed to qualify we are optimistic that she is on course to qualify for a world competition.”

The athlete, who alongside sprinter Stern Lifa are on Olympic scholarship, are both invited, but the Malawi University of Science and Technology student missed due to an injury.

The two made history by becoming the first local athletes to qualifty for the 2021 Africa Championship following their sterling performance at the All Corners Track and Field event in April this year in Zmbia.

Lifa won bronze in 100m after clocking 10.36 seconds to beat his previous record of 10.58 seconds.