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The heroes are back home. A team of 20 athletes arrived back home on Tuesday afternoon from Lobamba, Swaziland where Malawi won the Southern Africa Cross Country competition for the first time ever.
It was all simple, nothing grand, nothing flash as the visibly tired heroes off-loaded their bags from a South African coach but there were smiles of satisfaction and joy from a small group of people who gave the victorious athletes a hearty welcome.
Three athletes won four individual gold medals with celebrated Catherine Chikwakwa as usual coming tops twice—she excelled in 4km senior women’s race finishing in 14 min 16 sec.
She also came tops in the 8km race senior women’s race in 28 min 17 sec.
Chikwakwa, with her trademark radiant smile, said it was the biggest achievement for the country in a regional athletic competition.
“It’s the first time Malawi has won the competition and obviously I am very proud, it shows that as a nation we have improved tremendously and not long from now we’ll be winning international competitions just like the Kenyans,” she said.
Mike Tebulo also won gold in the 8km junior men’s event. He finished in 25 min 5 sec while Lucia Chandamale won the 6km junior women’s race in 21 min 37 sec.
Malawi also won team gold medals and a trophy in three categories—women’s 8km, men’s 8km and women’s 6km.
Francis Munthali and Theresa Master brought silver medals after finishing as runners-up in the 4km men’s and 6km women’s race respectively while George Mkupatira, Francis Khanje, Alice Msumba and Getrude Banda brought home bronze medals.
Altogether Malawi won 27 medals—an all time record. Three officials namely team leader Haxon Chapasa, coach Isaac Phiri and team manager Taona Mhango accompanied the team.
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