MWAKAPILA BEMOANS COVID-19 ‘BRAKE’

MUKWIMA CHILALA writesZAMBIA National Soccer Team midfielder Mary Mwakapila says the postponement of the 2020 Olympic games was drawback to the team because it disturbed the momentum of team spirit created by their qualification campaign. Mwakapila, commonly called RTSA, says having come from the COSAFA tournament last year and going into the last Olympic qualifier against Cameroon had created a winning team spirit as the squad had spent a long hours together and the fitness levels were at the same pace. She says that onset of the corona virus pandemic, that had also seen the Olympic tournament postponed would result in gaps in catching up and starting all over again. “Us, Copper Queens were affected by corona virus pandemic because before them we were coming from playing tournaments and games so looking at the fitness of the players, camping together and playing together that created team spirit and keeping each and every player at the same pace of fitness and the coordination of the team was doing fine,”Mwakapila said. “But since the pandemic broke out, we have not been together for a very long time, so I think there are gaps whereby we need to catch up once we come together and it’s starting again from the beginning.” The Copper Queens midfielder said that there were good teams at the Olympics hence there was need for the team to be mentally prepared and to maintain high fitness levels. And Mwakapila has welcomed the introduction of the National Women’s league saying it would widen the selection pool to the National soccer team. Mwakapila is a key player in the Zambia Women’s side that qualified to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after beating Cameroon over two legs. The Sun