By GWEN CHIPASULA –
THE Zambia Amateur Athletics Association (ZAAA) says it will change the training strategy of long distance runners if the athletes are to compete competitively on the international stage.
ZAAA international relations and communications manager, Davis Mung’ambata said there was need to change the camping strategy by ensuring the runners had endurance.
Mung’ambata said this following Edward Mwanza 56th place finish during the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) World Cross Country Championships held in Guiyang, China.
Mwanza, who competed in the 12km senior men’s race managed to come 56 from a total of 105 athletes after timing 38:27. The race was dominated by Kenyans and Ethiopians won by Geoffrey Kamworor who clocked 34:52.
Mung’ambata said the competition was very competitive for Mwanza but there was need to change the camping strategy by copying the trainings the Kenyans and Ethiopians were undergoing when preparing for such competitions.
He said while the Olympic Youth Development Centre (OYDC) was a good training venue for athletes, there was need to put through the runners in endurance training unlike the centre that has a flat training surface.
“It doesn’t make sense to camp and train at OYDC when sending our athletes to such tournaments because they do not find a flat ground that side but instead they find hills, and wet conditions. Such are conditions that our runners should be subjected to for them to start winning,” he said.
He said it was why he would propose to the ZAAA to start training the athletes in areas where they would face endurance obstacles.
“Look at our friends from Ethiopia and Kenya, they train on hills and for a long period of time and that is why they managed to come out first in most races.” he said.
Mwanza, who was accompanied by coach Gamela Sikaleya, returned from China on Monday.