Athletes camp for World-Cross Country

Athletics Association of Malawi (AAM) has released names of athletes to start preparations for the World Cross Country Championship in Copenhagen, Denmark on March 30.

AAM general secretary (GS) Frank Chitembeya said they have earmarked National Cross Country; 10 kilometres (km) senior men winner Cephas Kasteni, runners-up Chancy Master, 8km junior men champion James Ponde and 6km Junior women champion Mirriam Kachingwe for the competition.

He applauded Malawi Olympic Committee (MOC) for providing accommodation for the athletes at its OlympAfrica (sports development centre) in Lilongwe in preparations for the event.

“We wrote MOC to assist us with accommodation and they have responded positively,” Chitembeya said.

On the choice of athletes, he said it was based on a number of issues apart from the national competition held on February 9.

“There was stiff competition between Kasteni and Chancy Master during the national event. Mirriam Kachingwe and James Ponde were also outstanding in the junior categories by opening up a wide gap with the runners-up,” Chitembeya said.

But he said the association would settle for two representatives should they fail to secure K4 million for the four athletes.

“While we are grateful to MOC for the gesture, we are appealing to well-wishers to consider assisting us to send all the athletes to the world competition.

“We cannot expect our athletes to improve if they do not compete against the best,” Chitembeya said.

MOC spokesperson Kythrina Phiri confirmed the arrangement.

“They wrote requesting us to help them and the executive board accepted their request,” she said.

 But athlete Kasteni said yesterday they are yet to be informed to start camping.