By MICHAEL MIYOBA
COPPER Queens’ midfielder Evarine Susan Katongo has dedicated the Sports Award scooped at the 5th annual PUSH Women Awards held at the weekend to the Copper Queens and the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ).
Katongo scored the winning goal for the Copper Queens that stunned Nigeria 1-0 to win bronze at the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Speaking in an interview after winning the award, Katongo dedicated it to all individuals who have helped her develop into a dependable Copper Queens star.
Katongo said the PUSH Award would motivate her to keep working hard to improve on where she is lacking as a player with support from her coaches and the senior players at the national team.
“I feel very happy and very excited to have won the women’s PUSH award. It wasn’t easy. It came as a surprise for me and I’m really excited,” Katongo said.
“I dedicate this award to the Copper Queens, the Football Association of Zambia and my family and all the people who have been supporting me. It is because of them that I managed to get the award and it is because of them that I was able to be recognised by other people to be able to win this award.
“Most importantly I dedicate this award to Mr. Arron Mubanga who has been supporting and encouraging me and he has always been there for me,” she added.
Katongo becomes the second Copper Queens player to win the prestigious award following skipper Barbara Banda’s crowning in 2019.
From being Under-20 skipper, Katongo has established herself in the core of coach Bruce Mwape’s team, and featured at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, the WAFCON in Morocco and the COSAFA Women’s Championship in South Africa where the Copper Queens emerged champions.
