Rhodah Njobvu leads female Athletes to Japan 2021 Olympics
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By Derrick Sinjela
Rhodah Njobvu outsprinted one of the Zambian veteran track star athlete Lumeka Katundu and Namibian peer Anne Rautenbuch in the 200 meters first heat women’s category race thus passing the litmus test to qualify to the Japan 2021 Olympics, during the Zambia Athletic (ZA) All-Comers meet that ran from Saturday the 11th to 12th April 2021 at the National Heroes stadium in Lusaka.
Groomed by Zambia National Service (ZNS) Green Eagles sponsored athletic camp, Njobvu clocked 22.69 in the 200 meters first heat to earn a berth at a competitive encounter which attracted international athletes from Burundi, Denmark, Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
Accompanied by Malawi Athletics Association president Godfrey Phiri, female sprinter Mercy Malembo, a Sports Administrator from Black Diamond Netball Club shed tears of joy as she received a silver medal from Philip Gander, as her dream and journey to become an Olympiad had just begun.
“This competitive event is now attracting local, regional, continental and international athletes and Zambia is becoming a hub for athletics in Africa, and families must be coming support children, Zambia Athletics (ZA) president Elias Mpondela prayed within earshot of Samuel Matete.
In the 100 meters men category, Kenyan Mark Otieno Odhiambo minted a gold medal after outsprinting Zambia Police Service Athletic Club runner Hazemba Chidimba, and Denmark based athlete Tazana Kamanga – Dyrbak, SIbusiso Matetsenjwa from Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Sten Liffad from Malawi and Dickson Makusha of Zimbabwe.
And earlier, in the men’s first heat 100 metres category on the first day of the All- Comers meet, Luckson Simuyemba from the Zambia National Service (ZNS) camp in Lusaka minted a gold medal after beating Josphat Musonda from the Zambia Airforce (ZAF) Athletic camp and Robert Tembo, who got a bronze medal in tightly contested race.
The standard qualifying time for men’s 100 metres race is 10.05 and that for women at the prestigious Olympics games that will run from July to August 2021. 
Success favours the prepared, prods Elias Ng’andu Mpondela
By Ashton Kelly Bunda
Zambia Athletics (ZA) president Elias Ng’andu Mpondela says success in any human endevour favours people who are always prepared in whatever they are engaged in be it athletics, business, academics examinations and leadership.
The veteran athletics administrator told Kwilanzi Newspaper crew as he advised coaches and athlete at the National Heroes stadium after the All-Comers meet that attracted international athletes meant to qualify athletes for fast approaching Tokyo Olympics in Japan, Asia that will run from July to August 2021.
Mpondela said athletes as well as non-athletes must have a ‘Vision the Clarity’ he mentioned of the Bucharest philosophy which teaches people to adapt as soon as a situation is not conducive in life, be it financially or socially.
“Let us always be prepared as athletes mentally and physically,” Mpondela admonished.
Zambia Athletics president Elias Ng’andu Mpondela andMalawi Athletics Association president Godfrey Phiri
