Kumwamba preparing his club members for Blantyre Marathon 3rd edition
Mulanje-based long distance athlete, Edson Kumwamba — whose Athletic Club member Jafali Jossam managed to be on the winners podium in the 2019 Blantyre Marathon — is preparing his club athletes for the third edition scheduled for June 20.
He has organised two prize giving races, stating with a 10km on March 28 and the other as 31km scheduled for May 2.
Kumwamba, who was satisfied with Jossam’s performance when he clinched third place in a time of 2:34:37hrs, says he wants his athletes to be in top form to grab all prize giving positions.
“So I decided that we organized these to races that attract prizes in order for them to be in good shape ahead of the Blantyre Marathon.
“Everyone is looking forward to these tournaments — not just for the prizes but they eye the Blantyre Marathon, whose prizes are very attractive,” said the trainer — who himself came 7th in 2:41:38.
It was Jossam’s first-ever 42.2km marathon and he was just shy by 5:01 minutes away from the champion, Zomba-based Mphatso Nadolo, who clocked 2:29:38.
Mulanje had six athletes and for the women category it was represented by Dorothy Gawani, who came 4th in 3:18:58, which was 13:03 minutes from champion, South Africa-based Nalicy Chirwa, who finished in 3:05:55.
And she was behind last year’s champion, Theresa Master — also from Mulanje — who clocked 3:17:11, to claim third place. The women’s second position was taken by last year’s runner-up, Doris Fisher in 3:16:31 (also from the same district).
The other Mulanje athletes were Elias Chapola, who was 6th in 2:40:02, Evance Nyazule was 15th in 2:58:36 while Yohane Dalion was 24th in 3:28:34.
Kumwamba, who came 11th in the 2018 edition, had said in 2019 that he was pleased with what they have achieved, especially with Jossam as he has never ran a marathon.
“He was a football players when I spotted the potential in him and asked him to join us.
“His first race was the Mulanje Porters Race [in July 2019] and he managed to get position 5. That performance convinced him to give a try a short at the full marathon and getting into top 3 is such a phenomenon performance to me.”
The Blantyre Marathon route is the same — starting at Ginnery Corner Roundabout in Blantyre near NBS Bank to Chichiri Roundabout where it branches off towards Kwacha Roundabout all the way to TVM, past St. Columbus CCAP Church and all the way to Kudya trading centre.
At Kudya, the route heads towards Zingwangwa and all the way to Stella Maris Secondary School where it turns towards Moneymen Club then past Catholic Institute (CI) and reaching Sunbird Mount Soche Hotel in Blantyre Central Business District.
Then it turns to what is popularly known as Kandodo Corner Shop where it branches off to Mbayani heading all the way to Kameza Roundabout before turning towards Machinjiri turn off where there is the Ernegem Filling Station.
The route then heads into Machinjiri, past Luanda Trading Centre; Area 5; Mkolokoti, Makhetha before joining the road from Zomba and going down past Lever Brothers; past Maselema Roundabout and reaching Chichiri Roundabout where it branches off Makata road and enter into Kamuzu Stadium for the finish line in front of the VIP Stand.
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