Malawi’s top short athlete Asimenye Simwaka is refusing to take her foot off the gas pedal as she came first in 200m and 400m during the World Athletics Championships qualifiers in Gaborone, Botswana on Thursday.
Simwaka and compatriot Stern Liffa took part in the championship in their quest to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
She finished the 200m event first after clocking 23:35 ahead of South Africa’s Joviale Mbisha 23:92 and third-placed Valentine Nyasha Datawa who made it in 25:01.
The Malawian emerged first in 400m after running 52:74 to conclude her remarkable tour while Lydia Jele of Botswana came second in 53:91.
Liffa impressed during the heats but did not make it to the podium.
In his heat, Liffa emerged first in 200m posting 21:49 while in 100m he finished third the distance in 10:51 behind the heat’s winner Thoto Masasa [10:32] of Botswana and Zimbabwe’s Dickson Kamungeremu [10:48].
Coach Pachisi Nyasulu said the two need to improve their time to stand a chance of qualifying for the Olympics.
“As a coach I am impressed with their performance because I have assessed them. I know what training they require to improve,” he said.
Athletics Malawi General Secretary Frank Chitembeya shared similar statements.
Both Chitembeya and Nyasulu hailed the Malawi Olympic for supporting Simwaka and Liffa to travel to Botswana.
