Athletics: Southern Region Cross-country Championship-Japha off to Lusaka today |22 February 2008

Japha, who is not at her first appearance in the regional cross-country meet, will be trying to hold her own against the best in Southern Africa in the senior female 8km race.

Japha had a brilliant test run on Saturday February 9 with a new best time of 33 minutes 24.8 seconds (33:24.8) in the female senior 4-lap (8km) race organised by the Seychelles Athletics Federation.

In fact, Japha competed in all four races of the cross-country series held at the Roche Caïman fitness trail.

Zimbabwean Tabitha Tsatsa, Southern Africa’s most successful female long distance runner in 2007, is the Southern Region Cross-country Championship defending champion after winning last year’s 8km race in 29:32.18.

Second place and the silver medal went to her compatriot Samakeliso Moyo in 29:33.08, while Malawian Nancy Matanda finished third in 30:00.47

Other than Seychelles and host Zambia, runners from South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana, Angola, Namibia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mauritius and Madagascar are to participate in this year’s regional event.

G. G.