Food and language worry athletics coach
Forget about being worried with stiff competition that comes with rubbing shoulders with the continent’s best.
There is something else that is worrying national athletics coach, John Mwathiwa, ahead of his athlete, Kephas Kesten’s participation in 2016 Africa Cross- Country Championship in Cameroon next week- –inappropriate food and language barrier.
“From Monday, he will slow down on his training to avoid overloading his body. My concern is that, will he not accept just any food while in Cameroon? And there is the language barrier in a predominantly French-speaking country,” Mwathiwa explained.
A great runner at the peak of his athletic powers himself, Mwathiwa observed that an athlete preparing for such continental competitions need proper management off the running track.
“A few days before a competition, athletes must avoid consuming fats, but eat more carbohydrates. In his case, the challenge is that he will be alone in foreign land. Apart from these concerns, he is ready,” Mwathiwa said.
AAM general secretary, Frank Chitembeya, said Kephas will, during the continental event, help save Malawi’s face in the eyes of world athletics governing body, International Association for Athletics Federation (Iaaf).
“By sending an athlete to the continental event, we are mending our relationship Iaaf which did not give us our annual $15,000 [K11 million] grant after we missed 2014 championships,” Chitembeya said.
Kephas will fly out on March 9. In contrast, other countries are dispatching to Cameroon over 10 athletes for the continental event.
A vibrant writer who gives a great insight on hot topics and issues
