Mpani, Master to represent Malawi in Poland
Gold medallist Grevazio Mpani and Chancy Master will represent Malawi at the 2013 World Cross Country Championships in Bydogszcz, Poland, on March 24, Athletics Association of Malawi (AAM) president Godfrey Phiri has announced.
Mpani and Master have been selected following their impressive form at the Confederation of African Athletics Southern Africa Cross Country on Lesotho where they emerged number one and 11 respectively in junior and senior men’s categories.
“Our hope is in them. They were the best performers in Lesotho. Master was number 11, but he was number one for Malawi. We have applied to Sports Council for Ruth Mzengo [sports development officer] to accompany the athletes,” Phiri said.
Both athletes are undergoing nonresidential training. But the lean Malawi squad bound for Poland is against coach John Mwathiwa’s plea for a bigger travelling squad, arguing more athletes translates to more success as was the case in Lesotho. Malawi sent a 16-member party to Maseru.
But Phiri said Malawi’s quota for the 2013 World Cross Country Championships was still at two.
In a separate interview yesterday, Mwathiwa said he was drilling Mpani in Lilongwe, but was not sure about Master’s training schedule.
“Mpani is responding well to training, but there are challenges of limited resources. I am sometimes forced to use my personal resources,” Mwathiwa said.
The two athletes need over K1 million (about $2 564) in air ticket expenses alone.
The world athletics’ governing body, International Federation of Athletics Associations (Iaaf), will refund half of the air expenses.
Meanwhile, World Cross Country Championships gold medallist Tirunesh Dibaba, and two-time junior women’s winner Genzebe Dibaba have been included in Ethiopia’s provisional 25-member squad bound for Poland, reads www.iaaf.org
