In an exhilarating display of speed and determination, Muzala Samukonga, the 400 meters sprinter, has secured his ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. His electrifying performance came during the All Comers Meet held at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola today, where he clocked an impressive 44.85 seconds.
This remarkable time not only secures Samukonga’s spot at the Olympics but also qualifies him for all major continental and global competitions scheduled for this year, including the African Games, African Senior Championships, and World Athletics Championships.
The 44.85 seconds sprint now stands as Samukonga’s seasonal best record, as he continues to strive to surpass his personal best time of 43.91 seconds.
Samukonga’s qualification marks him as the second athlete from Zambia to secure a spot at the 2024 Olympics, following in the footsteps of boxer Patrick Chinyemba.
Expressing his elation Samukonga described his Olympic qualification as a triumphant comeback after overcoming an injury setback that sidelined him from major championships last year. He now sets his sights on clinching gold at the upcoming African Games in Ghana next month.
Elias Mpondela, President of Zambia Athletics, expressed his satisfaction at Samukonga’s qualification, expressing hope that others will follow suit with promising performances, given an extra push.
Athletics National Team Coach, Douglas Kalembo, outlined a clear roadmap to prepare athletes for the African Games, confidently predicting that the team will secure at least four medals.
With Samukonga’s outstanding achievement, the nation eagerly anticipates the promising performances of Zambian athletes on the global stage, as they continue to inspire and make their mark in the world of athletics.
Go Samukonga go! You have Zambia and the Lord God Almighty behind you.
He could have done better if it wasn’t for chi Mpondela.
Mpondela, What is that relic doing in our modern day athletics?
Samukonga deserves our support as he continues to bring honour to the nation. I hope Mpondela won’t ride on this effort to continue to cling to ZAAA when he’s completely outlived his usefulness. There are so many young athletes like Samukonga that haven’t been identified because the association is in wrong hands. Mpondela has suppressed many just for his self preservation. One day akaponoka
Mpondela and Kamanga at FAZ are farts at a feast
I have always said that as long as upnd are in power zambia will never win any global competition. E.g afcon. He can qualify but until ecl is back this man will lose. We won afcon under pf remember
Under rotten PF we won so many dubious medals …cholera epidemic,debt default ,ever sinking GDP… we became poorer and sicker.Even Lusaka came to look like a pighouse.
We should focus on developing 3 sports in Zambia: Football, Track (not field) and volleyball, because they are cheap and can be played even in the poorest schools in the remotest parts of the country. There are many Muzala Samukongas in Zambia, but we simply lack the organisation to find and develop them. If this young man had grown up in Zambezi, in stead of Lusaka, we would have never heard of him. We can change this by using our schools to not only teach reading and writing, but to identify and groom sports talent as well
Mpondela kkkkk