Team Malawi was given a special send-off by President Lazarus Chakwera last week at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe
* The 165 athletes depart tomorrow after final preparations at a pre-departure camp held at Natural Resources College (NRC) in Lilongwe
* This follows a series of three training camps to enhance technical skills, build team cohesion, and prepare the athletes for high-level competition
By Duncan Mlanjira
Team Malawi is expected to depart for Windhoek, Namibia tomorrow, July 1, for the 11th edition of the African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 Youth Games where they will participate in 14 sporting disciplines at AUSC Region 5 Youth Games.
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A statement from Malawi National Council of Sports indicates that the squad of 165 athletes and 37 officials will travel using a chartered flight from Lilongwe to Windhoek, which will host the Games from July 4-13.
The report says the athletes have undergone final preparations at a pre-departure camp held at Natural Resources College (NRC) in Lilongwe, which commenced on June 23.
It followed a series of three training camps that were conducted to enhance technical skills, build team cohesion, and prepare the athletes for high-level competition, says Sports Council.
Team Malawi will participate in football, basketball, volleyball, netball, boxing, karate, judo, lawn tennis, table tennis, swimming, athletics, para-athletics, Special Olympics, and e-sports.
“The 2025 Games will be held under the theme; ‘Own the Moment’ — a powerful message that encourages young athletes to take full advantage of the platform, showcase their talents, and represent their nations with pride and determination,” says Sports Council.
Meanwhile, the football category of the Youth Games will be managed by the Council of Southern African Football Associations (COSAFA) as the U20 COSAFA Cup 2025 in which men’s opponents in Group A are the hosts Namibia, Angola and Zimbabwe.
The women’s side are also in Group A alongside hosts Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe.
The men’s U20 Group B contains reigning COSAFA champions South Africa, their old foes Zambia alongside eSwatini and Botswana. The top two teams in each of the pools advance to the semifinals.
COSAFA Women’s champions Zambia are the top seed in Group B and will play South Africa, eSwatini and Angola.
President Chakwera presents the flag to the athletes.—Picture by Patricia Kapulula, MANA
According to COSAFA Media, while the football tournament will both form the regional championship in southern Africa for that age-group, where new champions will be crowned — but there is no qualification this year for CAF continental competitions after South Africa won the CAF U20 Africa Cup of Nations (AfCON) title in Egypt in May in the tournament that is played every two years.
Zambia are record 12-time winners of the regional finals in the men’s competition, with defending champions South Africa claiming nine victories. Zimbabwe have been champions six times, and Madagascar and Mozambique once each.
In both 18-member Malawi men’s and women’s squads, the country’s most successful football academy, Ascent Soccer has contributed a total of seven players — with men’s head coach Millias Pofera Jegwe including Lackson Wahita and Mwisho Mhango and the women’s mentor Linda Kasenda selecting Faith Chinzimu, Talandira Chinyamvula, Victoria Mkwala, Mayamiko Mkandawire and Fatima Lali.
Coach Jegwe has included four players who featured in last year’s COSAFA Cup in Maputo, Mozambique and on the women’s side, Kasenda also has five who recently took part in the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers against the Central African Republic.
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The full squads are as follows:
Men’s
* Goalkeepers: Luciano Fanuel (Chibabvi Real Stars), Ishmael Mdoka (Play Football Malawi Academy);
* Defenders: Precious Manjawira (Ekhaya Reserve), James Musongole (Play Football Malawi Academy), Kondwani Tebulo (Bullets Reserve), Felix Jalasi (Manchester Motors), Lackson Wahita (Ascent Soccer);
* Midfielders: James Lumbe (Ekhaya FC), Yusuf Namtunga (Ekhaya Reserve), Moffat Mnyontho (Silver Strikers Reserve), Misheck Billiat & Maxwell Sakanamba (Bullets Reserve), Precious Kwalenga (Waka Waka Tigers), Madalitso Safuli (Bangwe All Stars), Mwisho Mhango (Ascent Soccer);
* Forwards: Clifford Chisale (Chibabvi Real Stars), Lameck Mithi (Moyale Barracks), Maxwell Sidreck (Manchester Motors).
Women’s
* Goalkeepers: Ireen Sibande (Silver Strikers Ladies), Emily Nkhwazi (Kukoma Ntopwa);
* Defenders: Alinafe Milanzi (Fact), Emily Gama Samuel (Civil Service Womens), Chikondi Benjamin (Mighty Wanderers), Faith Chinzimu & Talandira Chinyamvula (Ascent Soccer), Joyce Makweya (Kukoma Ntopwa);
* Midfielders: Jacqueline Kamputa & Anna Baziliyo (Civil Service Womens), Faluna Umali & Grace Khunga (Mighty Wanderers), Victoria Mkwala (Ascent Soccer), Sarah Mulimbika (Ndilande Soccer Giants);
* Forwards: Chikondi Mgodi (Nyasa Big Bullets), Mayamiko Mkandawire & Fatima Lali (Ascent Soccer), Jean Fyson (Civil Service Womens).
The Team Malawi was given a special send-off by President Lazarus Chakwera last week at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe where he urged them to believe in themselves and seize the moment by striving to bring more medals home.
Malawi News Agency (MANA) reported that Chakwera told the youth that their victory should not be determined by their physical size, strength and appearance but their determination, courage and inner spirit.
“It is not the dog in the fight that determines the victory but it is the fight in the dog,” Chakwera said, adding that the government will continue to support the development and promotion of all sports disciplines in the country.
“Speaking on behalf of the athletes, Pempho Datchi pledged to the President and the nation to compete with heart, courage and discipline in order to raise the Malawi flag high, saying: “We are going to represent our families, our communities and our nation.
“We are going as proud sons and daughters of Malawi, ready to compete,” declared Datchi. “This year’s theme; ‘Own Your Moment’, speaks directly to us, it reminds us that our time is now, it is our moment to rise and show Malawi what Malawian youths are made of.”—Reporting at Kamuzu Palace by Tabbu Kitta Kauye, MANA
