By MOSES CHIMFWEMBE –
THE Zambia Badminton team has stepped up preparations ahead of the 2014 World Junior Championships to be staged in Malaysia from April 7 to 18.
The tournament is the world’s most prestigious junior competition on the Badminton World Federation (BWF) calendar.
Under-18 prodigy Chongo Mulenga of Ndola City Council (NCC), Chezwa Nakanda (Central Sports) and Kalombo Mulenga of Kanini in Ndola will represent the country in the Men’s event, while Evelyn Siamupangila (Power), Mary Chilambe (OYDC) and Carol Mukunkami of Mufulira will represent the women team.
National coach Juma Mowowo in an interview yesterday expressed happiness with the team preparations ahead of the competition.
Muwowo said though the team was undergoing weekly camping, the players were responding positively to training.
“Our preparations are in top gear and I am happy to mention that the players are shaping up well to training,” he said.
And Badminton Zambia (BZ) general secretary Kingsley Mulenga said the association has already submitted entries for the Zambian contingent to the BWF headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Mulenga said the association was, therefore, mobilising resources to send the six players to the tournament.
“We are still scouting for resources to send our team and we would like to appeal to well wishers to come on board and offer their assistance to the association,” he said.
Based on his third ranking on the Badminton Confederation of Africa (BCA) chart, Chongo is likely to be seeded among the top players and might be on bye in the preliminary round of the competition.