LUNGU COMFORTS COPPER QUEENS

…as Boxer Everisto Mulenga is eliminated from Olympic Games By MICHAEL MIYOBA PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has praised the Zambia national women’s soccer team for putting up a great performance despite being eliminated from the ongoing Tokyo Olympic Games in Japan following a 1-0 defeat to Brazil in their final group F fixture played at Saitama Stadium. Lungu described the Copper Queens players as world class  who showed a lot of resilience against strong opponents. He said there are many positives to pick from the young ladies who were not just representing Zambia at the games in Japan but the whole African continent after qualifying under difficult  circumstances to be Africa’s sole representative. “Despite the red card and a nasty injury to our goalkeeper, the girls remained resilient against a strong opponent. You are a quintessence of hard work, which is the true Zambian spirit. “You kept your chin up against the best in the world. You are world class yourselves. Well done girls. You have represented your country and continent well and we are proud of you,” Lungu said. After their elimination from the games in Japan, the Copper Queens, Judoka, Stephen Mung’andu and Boxer Stephen Zimba are expected in Zambia today. Meanwhile Zambia’s top ranked boxer Evaristo Mulenga has been eliminated from ongoing Olympic games after losing a three rounds bout  to Columbia’s Ceiber Avila in the round of 16 Boxing Competition. The 22 year old Mulenga has become the Second Zambian Boxer to be eliminated after Stephen Zimba who was eliminated by Andrey Zamkovoy on Tuesday. Zambia’s hope of minting a medal rests on five athletes, boxer Patrick Chinyemba, sprinters Sydney Siame and Rhoda Njobvu and swimmers Tilka Paljk and Shaquille Moosa. Chinyemba will be looking forward to redeem Zambia’s chances of getting a medal at the Olympics as he takes on Galal Yafai of Great Britain on Saturday 31st July 2021. Tilka and Moosa are scheduled to make their Tokyo 2020 debut on 30 July 2021 in the 50m freestyle heat 4 and 5 respectively. Zambian sprinters Sydney Siame and Rhoda Njobvu will be invigorating themselves for their events as athletics kick start on 30 July.