Zambia Athletics President Major Bernard Bwalya has attributed the challenges of Zambia clinching major silverware in various athletic competitions to the lack of timing machines.
Speaking in an interview with the Zambian Business Times, Bwalya was responding to a question over whether Botswana has surpassed Zambia in the major honors in recent years. Recently in the Diamond League, 400-meter sprinter Muzala Samukonga clinched a fifth position after clocking 44.29 seconds, while Botswana’s Busang Collen clinched the top prize, clocking 43.54 seconds.
Bwalya added that despite the country possessing enormous talent, the lack of a timing machine has led to the association sending athletes outside the country to prepare for major tournaments. “The major challenge that we have had is the timing machine;
we don’t have electronic timing, so each time we want to qualify, we have to borrow from another country, which is extremely expensive, or have to send them out, but when we look at Botswana, they have all the resources at their disposal.” They are able to weigh which athlete is running 43 or 44 and are able to effectively select the competitors.
Major Bwalya revealed that some years ago, Botswana athletes used to train in Zambia, but now things have changed. “We are a force in the Southern Region, and very soon you will see some tremendous results, competing favorably, and we are confident that our athletes will rise to the occasion,” he added.
Article by Samuel Mutale
