New-look Squad Part of Chengelo School's Winning Formula

Chengelo Elite Athletics Squad play their part to win Copperbelt Regionals.

The 2016 ISAZ Athletics Regionals gave Chengelo Elite Athletics Squad the chance to show their progress and test themselves against the best that ISAZ Copperbelt schools have to offer. All seven athletes who have been training as part of the squad this term were selected in multiple events that included 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, Long Jump, Triple Jump, High Jump and Shot Put as well as both relays.

Stella Chanda started things off in the 1500m and qualified easily for the Finals in 2 weeks’ time. Her time of 5 minutes 47.22 seconds was only five seconds off the ISAZ record. She has been pushing herself hard in training with some long runs to improve endurance and it paid off as she comfortably came home in first place.

Meanwhile, David Kumwenda was showing that he has made great progress in Long Jump this year. He twice jumped 5.80m to win his event and set a new personal best. David is looking capable of achieving his target of recording a six-metre jump during the ISAZ Finals.

The three Bangalas were selected to represent Chengelo in the 200m. Emmanuel was up first, running his first ever Secondary ISAZ race. He finished second in a personal best time of 27.15 seconds but will take confidence from the fact that he will be competing in the under-14 category for two more years and was up against some older boys this year. Johanna ran a personal best and an ISAZ record to win her under-16 girls’ race in 25.35 seconds. Maria also won with ease, clocking 26.83 seconds in the under-19 category.

Five out of the six 400m runners for Chengelo were members of the Elite Squad. Newcomer Sofia Kashiba won her race and showed an impressive exhibition of speed endurance right through to the finish line. Emmanuel again came up just short of victory in his race but did finish second to an excellent athlete from Trident School. Johanna Bangala won in an ISAZ record of 59.24 seconds, her best time ever on grass. Kanjengo Muzungu finished second to ISAZ “legend” Victor Ndhlovu but recorded a good time of just over 58 seconds. Maria performed brilliantly and pushed herself to a new ISAZ record of 60.19 seconds, just short of her personal target of a sub-60 second 400m.

David was competing in the triple jump as well and came under pressure from the multi-talented Victor Ndhlovu, eventually finishing second with a new personal record of 12.15 metres. David will be looking to win both events in the Finals, despite this being his first year as an under-16.

Stella and Kanjengo ran in the same race as the under-16 boys and girls were combined to save time in the 800m. Stella showed her talent as she finished the first lap at the same time as one of the male competitors! Kanjengo held back on the home straight, finishing second in 2 minutes 22 seconds, knowing that he needed something left in the tank for the 400m relay later on. Stella stormed home to win her race in 2 minutes 50 seconds and qualify for the Finals.

While the 800m races were happening, Emmanuel was qualifying for the Finals in High Jump, showing his versatility in athletics. He will be looking to win a medal in the Finals at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.

One unexpected occurrence was another record for Johanna… in the Shot Put! She threw the 3.25kg shot 10.49 metres to set a new ISAZ under-16 best throw! Perhaps she is a future heptathlete?

Under the watchful eye of Zambian athletics legend Samuel Matete, all seven athletes in the Elite Squad took part in relays, with Chengelo qualifying for the Finals in twelve out of twelve races. The girls were the most impressive, winning all six of their relays. Stella and Johanna combined in the under-16 4x400m, Sofia ran a great leg in the under-14 edition while Maria brought the under-19 team home in first place for a new ISAZ record of 4 minutes 35.94 seconds. Emmanuel helped the under-14 boys to victory in the 4x400m and Kanjengo played his part in the under-16 boys’ race.

In the 4x100m, Emmanuel ran a great leg in the under-14 race as Chengelo finished second, Johanna ran a solid leg in the under-16 relay as the team missed out on an ISAZ record by 0.32 seconds and David brought home the under-16 boys in third place. Maria’s under-19 team showed great determination to take first place after Mpelembe were clearly in the lead half way through.

Overall it was a good day for the Squad and for Chengelo School, who won the competition and were crowned Copperbelt Champions. They have now won the competition every time they have competed since 2009.

The day finished on a high note as Johanna Bangala received news of a call-up to the Zambian national youth team for the Southern Region Youth Games. This is a remarkable achievement for Johanna, 14, as the age bracket for youth is under-18. She will compete between 16^th and 18^th June in Lusaka.

Two PBs as three athletes run 400m at Lusaka All-Comers Challenge.

Holiday training pays off for Elite Athletics Squad.

Three of the new-look Chengelo Elite Athletics Squad traveled to Lusaka to compete at the All-Comers Challenge on Saturday 23rd April. The three Bangala siblings, along with David Kumwenda, have been training during their school holidays to get into shape for this event. Sadly, David was struck down with malaria earlier in the week and was unable to travel.

Maria and Johanna were placed in the same 400m heat and both looked comfortable as they led from the front in their race. Johanna's trademark fast start put her into the lead as the official commentator admired both girls' "excellent strides". Maria, running in lane 8, did not let her lane draw faze her as she concentrated on her own race. Johanna came into the final straight in the lead and pushed hard through the line to smash her previous personal best by 1.27 seconds and record a new best time of 56.72 seconds. Maria came under late pressure from the athlete in lane 7 but finished fast and crossed the line in 59.65 seconds.

Emmanuel Bangala was running in his first All-Comers Challenge and, at 12 years old, was much younger than the rest of the field. He focused on maintaining a decent pace and, despite finishing last, recorded a new personal best of around 1 minute 3 seconds (official time to be posted later).

The athletes will now look forward to upping their training in a bid to run even faster times at the ISAZ Athletics Qualifiers in 4 weeks' time.

The new-look squad!

Clean Sweep and three school records for CEAS in 1km Dash!

Four competitors, four victories for Elite Squad in 1km Dash

On Wednesday 30th September, in warm conditions at Chengelo School, pupils gathered either at the school turning circle or 1km down the road to watch or compete in the annual 1km Dash competition. Three athletes from the Chengelo Elite Athletics Squad plus one coach waited at the start line, ready to showcase their talents and see how their training in the past few weeks would affect the outcome of their race.

The format was slightly different this year, with Junior Girls and Boys running together. Johanna Bangala stepped up alongside some of her male and female counterparts and ran a superb pace throughout to beat all competitors including boys! Her time of 3 minutes 8 seconds was 20 seconds faster than her previous record and will surely stand for a long time.

 Herbert Mithi was hoping to beat his previous Intermediate Boys' record of 3 minutes 2 seconds. He started off incredibly fast and maintained a decent pace before finishing strongly and claiming first place in a new record of 3 minutes flat. He will be targeting the Senior Boys' record next year, which he is fully capable of beating with continued training and development.

Chigo Kawonga and coach Josh Gibbons were up against each other in the Senior Boys and Staff race. Chigo had the school record of 2 minutes 48 seconds in his sights but was left lamenting the lack of serious competition as he fell three seconds short of the record. Mr Gibbons' target was to beat the staff record of 3 minutes 37 seconds set last year by Mr Fraser Swan. He finished as the first staff member in a time of 3 minutes 12 seconds to complete a clean sweep for the Chengelo Elite Athletics Squad!

Johanna repeats sub-58 second 400m at Allianz Park

Impressive times at London Inter Club Challenge

Two of Chengelo's Elite Athletics Squad traveled to Hendon to compete at Allianz Park in the London Inter-Club Challenge on Saturday 29th August. Maria stayed in Southampton due to injury, leaving Chigo and Johanna to represent the Squad at the last competition of the UK trip. They were met at the stadium by Miss Mary Hanson, former Chengelo staff member and, as it turns out, athletics expert!

The standard was high and as Chigo warmed up for his 800m race, the 5000m competitors ran some good times before the 400m hurdlers showed their excellent technique over the barriers.

Chigo lined up for the 800m race with the aim of running close to his personal best of 2 minutes 5.01 seconds. He certainly started well, running a 400m split of 1 minute 2 seconds. However, despite overtaking a competitor towards the end of the second lap, Chigo tired up and finished in a respectable time of 2 minutes 7.85 seconds. He ran very well and now knows where he needs to improve to run the 800m in under 2 minutes 5 seconds.

After the 100m sprints had finished, Johanna was ready for her 400m race. She was placed in the fourth heat and in lane four. Using starting blocks for the first time in 400m, she got out well and ran a sensible first 200m, taking a slight lead. She was then passed on the bend by the athlete in lane two before showing her endurance on the home straight and passing her to win the race. The time was agonisingly close to her personal best, 57.98 seconds. This time was 0.04 seconds slower than the 57.94 seconds she ran 10 days ago in Eltham.

It was a good day of competition for the athletes and a great way to cap off an exciting trip! Thanks to everyone for the support and encouragement you have offered to the squad this August!