.MPONDELA

By JACK MWEWA –

ZAMBIA  Amateur Athletics Association (ZAAA) president Elias Mpondela says his association will soon meet with Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) to discuss management of Kabange Mupopo, who is a runner and women soccer team captain.
Mr Mpondela said that much as Mupopo was multi-talented, there was need for the two associations to guide her on how she could best maximise her potential in either of the two sports disciplines.
“We recognise that Kabange is multi-talented, but there is need for us to sit with FAZ and discuss the best way she could maximise her potential in either football or athletics,” Mpondela said.
He said that it was the desire of ZAAA that Mupopo begins to shape up her future on and off the field of play and that education was top on their agenda.
“We are not only interested in her winning medals for Zambia, we also want to ensure that she gets the education that can support her today and in future.
Zambia national women soccer team coach Charles Bwale said his association was proud of Mupopo’s achievements in athletics and that his squad benefited from her pace whenever she wore football jersey.
“Her pace is an encouragement to football, though the difference is that she laces without a ball when doing athletics, we, however, benefit from her skill,” Bwale said.
He said Mupopo’s football training did not interfere with that of athletics saying both aimed at preparing sports personalities for endurance.
He also clarified that he substituted Mupopo from Shepolopolo’s last friendly encounter with Banyana Banyana of South Africa because she then had not recovered from Glasgow games.