By MICHAEL MIYOBA
MUZALA Samukonga run the race of his life to win the 400m hurdles gold medal in 44.66 seconds. It was Zambia’s first gold medal at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.
The 19-year-old Samukonga broke the records with his 44.66 seconds sprint in the 400m hurdles final at Alexander Stadium in Birmingham.
Samukonga beat English sprinter Mathew Hudson-Smith who finished second after clocking 44.81 seconds while Jonathan Jones from Barbados claimed bronze after finishing third with a time of 44.89 seconds.
Samukonga, who is the African champion in the 400m hurdles also broke Samuel Matete’s personal best record of 44.88 seconds recorded during the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
Samukonga’s gold becomes Zambia’s second gold medal won in the history of the Commonwealth Games in the 400m hurdles with the first one having been scooped by Matete during the 1993 Club Games held in Victoria, Canada.
The gold scooped by Samukonga was Zambia’s second medal after boxer Patrick Chinyemba minted a bronze medal which was Zambia’s first medal at the ongoing games.
Meanwhile, President Hakainde Hichilema has congratulated Samukonga for his achievement.
“We are so proud of our champion, Muzala Samukonga for finishing strong in the 400 meters final at a record breaking 44.66 seconds.
“Thank you for bringing home our First Gold Medal for Zambia at the Commonwealth Games,” Hichilema said.
He also hailed boxers Patrick Chinyemba and Stephen Zimba for wining bronze and reaching the finals of the Welterweight boxing category respectively.
Hichilema, who urged the boxers to keep flying the Zambian fly higher described the feat by the boxers as great achievements.
Meanwhile boxer Stephen Zimba managed to mint Silver Medal after defeating Wale’s boxer Loan Croft.
