By MOSES CHIMFWEMBE –
THE Mulenga brothers, Chongo and Kalombo at the weekend dominated the 2015 Badminton Zambia (BZ) president’s tournament, scooping the men’s singles and doubles categories.
Nkwazi’s Evelyn Siamupangila reigned supreme in the women singles while the Olympic Youth Development Centre (OYDC) duo of Paul Mwamba and Mary Chilambe walked away with a mixed doubles title.
The games played at Zamsure Club in Lusaka on Sunday saw Chongo, the current top seed, beat Mark Banda of Nkwazi to the title in the highly charged final winning 11-6, 9-11, 11-8, 11-3.
To reach the final, the Ndola City Council (NCC) player had to sweat to negotiate his way to the final when he faced a stubborn Shadreck Mwansa of Mufulira in a tightly contested match that had to be decided via tie breaker.
Prior to that, he made easy passage to the last four thanks to a 3-0 win over Timothy Kafunda of Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC).
Chongo and his younger brother Kalombo joined forces in the men’s doubles and proved too strong for another pair of brothers Shadreck and Rodrick Mwansa from Mufulira whom they beat in three sets 11-2, 11-5, 11-1.
The duo then saw off challenge from Peter Zulu and Mwamba of OYDC claiming a 3-1 win before they subdued the Nkwazi pair of Banda and Cheezwa Nakaanda in the final thanks to 11-3, 7-11, 11-9, 10-11, 11-7 sets win.
In the women singles, Siamupangila beat Christine Phiri of CEC 3-0 to emerge female champion before she missed out on the mixed doubles title when she teamed up with Banda.
With the Nkwazi duo winning the first set 11-8 against Chilambe and Mwamba, they were forced to retire from the rest of the sets after Banda developed a sight problem thereby handing the OYDC pair leverage to walk away as winners.
In a post match interview, Chongo admitted that his number one spot was under threat owing to the level of competition.
“This was one of the toughest tournaments I have ever competed in, the players have improved so much and I think for me to remain top, I have to work extra hard,” Chongo said.