Malawi scoops 30 medals at AUSC
Team Malawi has managed to scoop a total of 30 medals at the 2021 African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 Youth Games that were taking place at Maseru in Lesotho.
The young Malawian athletes have brought home 2 gold medals, 10 silver medals and 18 bronze medals from five sporting disciplines namely taekwondo, judo, netball, boxing and football.
Judo athlete Veronica Manda and Para athlete Taonga Kamwendo won gold each. Malawi Under 17 National Football Team won bronze while the Under 18 National Netball Team won silver. Things did not work in swimming and tennis but boxing dominated the list of medals for Team Malawi.
Para athlete Taonga Kamwendo expressed excitement after landing at Chileka Airport and said she will work extra hard next year.
Vice President for the Malawi Boxing Association (MABA), Francis Kadzakalowa, said the young boxers will be encouraged to work hard so as to win more medals next year when Malawi will host the Region 5 Youth Games in December.
“Four boys and two girls won in boxing. We are so proud. This is the evidence that boxing is improving in Malawi. We will start preparing from January with tournaments from districts, regions and at national level,” explained Kadzakalowa.
Minister of Sports, Ulemu Msungama who accompanied the Malawi Team, hailed the athletes for their performance.
“This is a record breaker. It has never happened in our history. For the first time we have managed to get a number of medals better than other countries who prepared better than us as well,” said Msungama.
Acting Executive Secretary for the Malawi National Council of Sports, Henry Meleka, said most of the athletes will be kept and monitored so that they represent Malawi again next year.
“We are strategic enough to make sure that we have a continued team. Most of these athletes will also be part of the athletes that will be participating in 2022. We will be working with sports associations to make sure that their plans are focused towards the 2022 games so that we can do well as we will be playing on the home soil,” remarked Meleka.
Malawi was on position 7 out the 11 countries that took part in the games. South Africa dominated the tournament after scooping a total of 74 medals.
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