By RONALD CHAWE –
RUNNER Quincy Malekani raced her way to the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games while 2015 All African Games gold winner Kabange Mupopo has been ruled out from competing in Australia due to injury.
Malekani, of Kansanshi Athletics Club, clocked 52.29 seconds in the 400m women race beating the Commonwealth Games ‘B’ qualifying standard time of 52.70 seconds.
This was during the Zambia Amateur Athletics Association (ZAAA) All Comers Meet held at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola and she joins 200m sprinter Sydney Siame on the list of runners to represent the country in Gold Coast.
Malekani feat came on a day when Kennedy Luchembe sealed qualification to the Under-20 IAAF World Championships slated for July in Finland after timing 46.83 seconds in 400m men’s event beating the qualifying standard time of 47.70 seconds.
Luchembe joined Simangaliso Ndhlovu who booked her place at the World Championship when he clocked 10.53 seconds during the All Comers Meet held in February.
National coach Douglas Kalembo expressed happiness with the competitiveness of the athletes and disclosed that Mupopo, who injured her ankle while playing football, will not make the Australia trip.
Kalembo said Mupopo, who was about to start doing light trainings, will be available for the African Championships set for July in Nigeria.
