CEAS qualify for ISAZ Finals

ISAZ Qualifiers a stroll for Elite Athletes

Chengelo Elite Athletics Squad travelled with the rest of the school team to Lechwe School, Kitwe for the 2015 Independent Schools Association of Zambia Athletics Qualifiers on Saturday 30^th May.

Chigo Kawonga was too old for this year’s competition and remained in Mkushi. However, Herbert Mithi, Maria Bangala and Johanna Bangala were ready to compete with the top athletes from the Copperbelt ISAZ schools.

With Herbert competing in the 1500m, javelin and triple jump for his age group and both girls running in the 100m, 200m, 400m and both relays, it was to be a busy day for all three athletes but one with plenty of opportunity for ISAZ records if not personal bests.

Herbert was up first in the under-16 boys’ 1500m and led from start to finish to win in a personal best time of 4 minutes 50.12 seconds.

Johanna and Maria then started their busy schedules with the 200m. Both sisters won their heats in fast times on a relatively poor track compared to previous ISAZ competitions. Johanna’s time of 27.52 seconds was over a second outside the under-14 girls’ ISAZ record and her personal best of 26.30 set at last year’s finals. Maria was running her first timed 200m and finished in 28.20, only seven hundredths of a second slower than the under-16 girls’ ISAZ record. Maria will be hoping to claim that record at the finals, where she will be running on a much faster track.

Meanwhile, Herbert was competing in the triple jump competition and qualified for the finals with an effort of 11.90m in a close competition in which the ISAZ record of 12.06m was threatened.

The 400m races were up next and Johanna ran first, winning in a time of 1 minute 2.08 seconds. This was Johanna’s best time ever on grass and she will be hoping to beat her own ISAZ record of 1 minute 0.12 seconds at the finals. Maria qualified by finishing first in a time of 1 minute 5.57 seconds, an ISAZ record. She will be hoping to better that at the finals at OYDC in two weeks’ time.

While the girls won their races, Herbert threw the javelin far enough to qualify for the finals to ensure he will be competing in his three favourite events at OYDC on 13^th June. The competition will be stronger on that day with the top four competitors from the Lusaka qualifiers joining the four qualifiers from the Copperbelt competition.

Johanna and Maria then both won their 100m heats in good times. Johanna recorded 13.56 seconds to win by daylight, with Maria clocking a slightly faster 13.33 seconds in the under-16 race. Maria will be up against one of the best sprinters in the country in Suwilanji Mpondela at the finals in two weeks’ time. Suwlianji beat Johanna in the under-14 100m race last year, with Johanna defeating her in the 200m.

There was a familiar face in the under-19 boys 100m race as Kikwanza Sondashi won in 11.22 seconds. The younger members of the squad were reunited for the first time since Kikwanza left Chengelo to join Trident School during the December holidays.

Next up were the relays. Johanna and her under-14 girls’ team won their 4x400m race in a time of 4 minutes 41.12 seconds, while Maria’s under-16 team won in a slightly faster 4 minutes 39.32. There was disappointment for Johanna as the 4x100m team were disqualified for an illegal handover after winning the race easily. Maria brought the under-16 team home in a blistering time of 54.37, a new ISAZ record.

The athletes will now return to training on Monday to continue preparing themselves for the Finals in Lusaka.