The longest race in the NGU circuit scares many athletes off, mainly among the senior girls who are about ten. Special guest of today Bruno who after the Slums Dunk training for today he is the official photographer of the race other than enjoying the race and the beautiful arrival at the market-port of Chaniania.
The seniors start off great, Americano keeps the first place for a little more than a kilometer, then Prosper Phiri with his UNDER 10 Top Scorer from the 2010 football league catches him. But the three champions, Gillias, Abraham and Sydney who started slow get them with any problem and win the podium. By now champion of the fourteenth edition of the NGU, Gillias came back to the Never Give Up after performing amazingly at the national championship in Ndola where he kept up with professional athletes who train in Japan even though he was not training, he realized he has great talent, he still works as a brick layer but takes a day off the days of the race. The senior girls podium too is confermed: Mercy Kapempe, Milika Muweswa e Ramona Muyoya.
The Junior’s departure is a couple of kilometers further, for them the race is of 10km. among the boys first at the arrival are Best Michelo, Emmanuel Kunda e Joe Malambo. The junior girl champion, Patience Kunda arrives third, maybe still tired from the very long bus journey from Tanzania. First is Silvia Malaila and second Grace Ntelesha.
The arrival in Chaniania is always among a crowd of children covered in dust who play in front of the market of the port. There is a very young girl, maybe just over 4 years, carrying an even younger one on her back, like a miniature mum she cuddles and cares for the little sister of a few months. There are a couple of completely drunk men, they could be anything between 20 and 40 year old, alcohol to numb their problems has destroyed them. The arrival of each race gives a picture of the reality we are in, every glance tells a story, every smile is a sign of hope in this beautiful market with the river flowing gently a few meters away.