Zambian athlete, Muzala Samukonga, has officially qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Samukonga achieved this milestone by finishing second in the 400m race at the Rabat/Marrakech Diamond League meet held yesterday.
Samukonga clocked a remarkable time of 44.54 seconds, narrowly missing the first place by just three milliseconds to Belgian Alexander Doom, who won the race with a time of 44.51 seconds.
This performance not only secured his qualification but also demonstrated Samukonga’s consistency and competitive edge on the international stage.
Botswana’s Bayapo Ndori finished third with a time of 44.59 seconds, followed by South Africa’s Lythe Pillay, who recorded a time of 44.78 seconds.
Emmanuel Bamidele of Nigeria secured fifth place with a time of 44.88 seconds, while USA’s Quincy Hall finished sixth.
The local favorite, Hamza Dair of Morocco, came in eighth with a time of 46.48 seconds, trailing behind France’s Gilles Biron who finished seventh.
Zambia Athletics President Elias Mpondela, expressed pride in the achievement and emphasised the significance of this accomplishment for Zambian athletics.
Mpondela stated that the focus will now shift towards the 4x400m relay, where the Zambian men’s team currently holds the second-fastest time in the world this season, clocking in at 2:59.12.
By Elesani Phiri
Kalmeba May 20, 2024
