Long distance races is not only a preserve for Ethiopian and Kenyan runners," protests CHOMA District Commissioner Sikaleya Gamela

 By Ashton Kelly Bunda

CHOMA District Commissioner Sikaleya Gamela says excellence in long distance races is not only a preserve for Ethiopian and Kenyan runners as  Zambia’s Southern Province is hilly and mountainous, as the geographical landscape in Eastern African.

When reached for a comment, in a telephone interview from Kitwe, Copperbelt Province, 1996 Japan Olympics 400 meters hurdle gold medalist, Samuel Matete said Mbala District in the Northern Province is equally in good standing as the Southern Province, Ethiopia and Kenya in grooming competitive and resilient athletes.

Said Africa’s Legendary Track and field star Matete: “It is not only in the Southern Province m but Mbala has a latitude for long distance training but what is missing is political and corporate will as infrastructure is neglected and only concentrated in Lusaka”.

A veteran athlete in his own right, Gamela optimizes on Zambia producing a late Yotam Muleya, re-incarnation arises from the Southern Province environment helping local sportspersons develop endurance to compete at international level.
Gamela came to the limelight as a long distance coach before becoming District Commissioner said some areas in Zambia can  work with what they have and succeed as athletes and Southern  province  which is mainly hilly has natural long distance runners facilities already in place.

An active long distance coach since 2013, Gamela told ‘TheBundas Incorporated Sports’ crew that the most important tool to empower youths in sports is a robust policy accompanied with political will from the leaders.

Advised Gamela: “Long distance races are dominated by Ethiopians and Kenyans,  Southern Province  has  hilly and mountainous, all we need is passion and a policy that will benefit  youths in sports. Young people need jobs that can sustain then, and inspire peer Zambian athletes to compete fairly and put the nation on the world sporting map. They are areas in Kenya that has hills and mountains and youths and children who live around such areas are identified by their teachers and coaches for training to compete at international level”.

Gamela believes encouraging youths train in the hills and mountains countrywide will develop a higher level of endurance before in –door facility training at the Olympic youth Development Center (OYDC) in Lusaka.