Setback for Lifa, Simwaka
Local athletes Stern Lifa and Asimenye Simwaka’s chances of qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics have been dealt a blow following the postponement of the African Athletics Championships.
The duo made history by becoming the first local athletes to qualify for the continental showpiece on merit two months ago, a stage they wanted to use in their bid to realise their Olympics qualification dream.
But the fate of this year’s tournament is unclear after the Algerian government postponed the event without giving any new dates due to Covid-19.
The event was set to be held in Algiers from June 22 to 26 and, according to www.bbc.com, with the Olympics set to start next month, the news will come as a blow to athletes across the continent who were hoping to use the championships in a final bid to achieve the qualifying standard for the games.
The sport’s global governing body, World Athletics, has set 29 June 2021 as the deadline for reaching the qualifying mark to take part at the 2020 Olympics.
The Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) are yet to make a public statement about this latest setback for the continental showpiece.
But Athletics Association of Malawi acting general secretary Mzee Makawa described it as a major setback.
He said: “We are yet to get official communication from CAA on the way forward, but it is a huge setback for our two athletes.
“This was the last hope we had for them to achieve the qualifying times for the Olympics.”
In an interview yesterday, Lifa said while the development is a big disappointment, he is hoping that some countries that have electronic timing gadgets will organise qualifying tournaments where they can take part.
He said: “I have heard about the postponement of the African Athletics Championships and it is disappointing.
“But I have heard that some countries such as South Africa are planning to host their own tournaments to be used as qualifiers for the Olympics and probably the authorities will consider sending us there. I am just keeping my fingers crossed.”
Simwaka was not available for comment.
The two athletes qualified for the African showpiece following their stellar show at the All Corners Track and Field event held in Zambia in April this year where Lifa, 21, won bronze in 100 metres (m) after clocking 10.36 seconds to beat his previous personal record of 10.58 seconds. The qualification standard is 10.44.
Simwaka, 22, also clinched bronze in 400m after clocking 52.59 seconds and the standard is 54.6.
To add extra spice, Simwaka, who also plays for the Malawi women’s national football team, broke the national record for 400m previously held by Ambwene Simukonda.
The standard qualification time for 100m (women), which Simwaka is eyeing, is 10.05 and 51.35 for 100m (men).
