From ELIAS CHIPEPO  In Brazzaville, –
COACH Moola Lipimile says the experience of Boas Munyonga and Mathews Punza will greatly help the judokas mint medals at the ongoing All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville.
Lipimile, who has picked 11 judokas for the Pan African Games quest, said in an interview here that he was confident that his team would return home with various medals.
Munyonga and Punza, who are based in Uzbekistan on a two-year training programme, were expected to link up with the other nine judokas last evening.
Lipimile said the experience the two athletes had gained in Uzbekistan would be vital for Zambia because the standard of their game was at a high level.
“The first days have been difficult since we didn’t have a training hall and we just used a pitch which was not level and there were no mats. But atleast we have now managed to secure this hall where boxing is taking place for our training,” he said.
He said morale in camp was high and expressed happiness with the judokas enthusiasm for the games.
Lipimile said he was hoping for a favourable draw in the preliminary rounds but that his judokas would be ready to face any opponent when the tournament begins next week.
“We shall make a game plan once the draws are out. I also feel the experience gained at the World Judo Championship will greatly help us because the judokas performed well and I could see something great happening at these Games,” he said.
The team has Abigail Chindele (48kg), Esther Sandu (52kg), Naomi Zungu (57kg), Nokutula Banda (63kg) and Lydia Zulu (78kg) representing the women side while Munyonga (81kg), Punza (66kg), Agida Phiri (100kg), Edward Kamwandi (90kg) and Michael Mwabi (60kg) are the men judokas.
A judo congress will precede the start of the competition to be held at the same Talangai Boxing Hall that is hosting boxing and will later host handball games.
Zambia is being represented in six sports disciplines – judo, boxing, swimming, athletics, handball and Paralympics – at the AAG that comes to an end on September 19.