By MARTIN MUSUNKA –

DETERMINED Mushitala Primary School runners emerged overall winners of the inaugural Hosack Cup Solwezi Inter-Schools cross country championship, after subduing other equally tenacious teams from a 22-school event at Trident College on Tuesday.
Mushitala School defied all odds and claimed the floating trophy, relegating Kifubwa Primary School and Mbonge Primary School into second and third positions, respectively.
In the individual category, Gift Chanda came out first in the boys under-19 while Jackson Kashiya came out second with Mazumba Kiboku finishing third. Viness Ndeki claimed the top slot in the girls’ section, pushing Martha Kapepula in the second place while Governess Kafumbu finished third.
The boys’ under-16 top mantle went to Davis Muka who was closely trailed by Patrick Muka and Stanley Kosamu. In the girls department, Lucy Luberenga was number one followed by Princess Malipenga and Brit Kangwa in that order.
The boy’s under-13 champion was Innocent Salipako who beat Charles Jilanda into second spot and Haggai Mandona while Betty Mukumbi was the girls’ category winner with Lillian Shipiro finishing second and third was Irene Kifimbi.
The first-ever Hosack Cup cross country competition was initiated by First Quantum Minerals’ Kansanshi Mining Plc construction manager, Adrian Hosack who said he was impressed with the test of stamina, team-work and good sportsmanship exhibited by all the participants.
He said it was his dream to see the event come to fruition and his vision is to see it being held for the next 50 years. Hosack, who is now 66, wants to see a replica of a similar annual event in which he used to take part as a young student at Peterhouse in Zimbabwe some 50 years ago.
Hosack, who was at the event with his wife Josephine, said the cross country tournament would be held every year, and participation would include all schools in North-Western Province, in the first place, and later engage schools from other provinces.- Story courtesy of SUMA SYSTEMS.