Kasiteni, Master win Cross Country Championship
Kefasi Kasiteni and Tereza Master on Saturday emerged winners of the National Cross Country Championship in 10-kilometre senior men and women categories respectively held at Mzuzu Golf course.
Athletics Association of Malawi (AAM) organised the competition to select athletes that will represent Malawi at Africa Cross Country in Cameroon on March 12.
However, out of the 90 athletes that turned out for the championship in senior men and women categories, Kasiteni and Master stood head and shoulders among the rest.
Kasiteni won the senior men’s race in 30:26 minutes while his runner-up, Francis Khanje, finished in 31:25 minutes.
For his feat, Kasteni was received K30 000 while Khanje got K15 000.
“I am happy for the win. People thought that I am finished for the period I was inactive. My focus this time around is to do well at the continental event,” Kasiteni told The Nation in an interview.
In the women’s category, Master clocked 38:40 minutes while her runner-up NaliseChirwa—who was regional champion for the North—attained 39:09 minutes.
Master earned herself K30 000 top prize while Chirwa got K15 000.
In junior women’s category, Mercy Malembo from Lilongwe finished top in the six – kilometres race in 21: 30 minutes, beating a field of 32 athletes.
She received K20 000 as her prize. Cecilia Mhango from Mzuzu came second (22:40 minutes) and received K10 000.
In men’s junior category, AbinaTchinga was the winner in 24:48 minutes. Harry Sichali was second. He finished the six-kilometre race in 25:34 minutes and received K10 000.
According to AAM president Godfrey Phiri, only four athletes will be chosen from the race to represent the country in Cameroon.
“Due to financial challenges we are facing, we have trimmed the squad travelling to Cameroon in March to four. This means we will collect one best athlete from each category,” he said.
Speaking at the prize presentation ceremony, Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS) sports development officer Ruth Nzengo urged the athletes to continue training hard so that they should do well in Cameroon.
