Almost 200 participants … but at the departure the Seniors are few, “ it is the distance to scare them away” says the coach from Chipapa. But this reason which we heard way too often does not convince me. Missing are the champion Gillias from the Chikoka team and the promising Lucky from Kabwesa. Gillias has become a role model for the youngest athletes who copy his running style and the typical last few kilometers bare chest, in the last three editions he also became the coach of his Chikoka team, he is absent for the second time, he has found a job as a laborer in a farm say the team mates and Saturdays he works, he cannot participate to the races … he is a promising athlete, motivated but in front of the choice between his passion, running and a paid job the latter prevailed. The story of Lucky is different, he is absent again “he is getting married” says the coach, his girlfriend is pregnant and the families are pushing them, or rather forcing them into marriage, too often the young parents leave the school and enter the vicious circle caused by the lack of school education and the impossibility to find a job because of the same lack of school education. the stories like the one of Lucky, and of some Senior Girls champions of the previos editions, which make us realize how the work of Sport2build is necessary to bring about that social change and development we so much talk about. The race of today leaves me bitter, it is a special day for me it is my thirtieth birthday and I hold in my arms the little Abraham, my son of only 15 days, but I cannot but think about Lucky future father who “is getting married” and the champion Gillias who left running to work.
The race is long but the rain season by now very close covers the sky by clouds and it is not too hot. The first few kilometers of the Seniors are spectacular, the strongest athletes run together saving energies for the long distance. For the second time the first one is Eugene Chaambwa followed by Sydney Mweemba, they will take part in the first Lusaka Marathon in December. First Senior Girl is Milika Muweswa followed by Faides Mulyata and the champion of the XII edition Ruth Kapempe. In the junior categories, Ackim Mwanza reaches first the finish line for the boys and Ramona Muyoya among the girls.
The next race is the shortest of the circuit around the football field of Mungu, if coach Bornface is right we will have a full house!