By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA –

MORE than 45 budding players will tomorrow put their wits to the test as they compete in the Zambia Table Tennis Association (ZTTA) national junior championship at the Olympic Youth Development Centre (OYDC) in Lusaka.
ZTTA patron, Haroon Ghumra said in Lusaka yesterday that the players were enthusiastic about the invitational tournament especially that it was the fifth that was being held this year.
Ghumra said four tournaments have been staged in the last two months and were all sponsored and that tomorrow’s event was also no exception.
“All the tournaments that we have held this year have been in the junior category. And we have seen a glowing desire in these juniors and they are training very hard and regularly. This is what we want to see.
“This is why as ZTTA, we are placing emphasis on the promotion of the sport at the junior level. We shall not abandon these kids after coming with them this far. We shall keep looking for sponsors to keep them active,” Ghumra said.
He said for tomorrow’s tournament, three sponsors had been lined up with Agogo Bakery chipping in to foot the bill for the organisational expenses of the event.
Bookworld have weighed in with K50 worth of vouchers for each of the winners in the six categories of the tournament and one additional prize for the most promising player.
The third sponsor is Sana Cash and Carry, who have donated six trophies to be presented to the winners.
Among the players expected to catch the limelight are Chanda Muma, seven-year-old starlet Janet Mwelwa and Charles Mutambo, all from OlympAfrica.
Others are Swiza Siame of Ng’ombe, who won the boys under-14 title at the last tournament and Mubanga Kunda, the OlympAfrica player, who won the girls under-14 title at the last ZTTA national event.