African Sports Monthly Mar, 2015 | Page 18

The Road to Rio 2016 … Zambia is better known for its craze of Soccer and the love of the country’s men’s national soccer team the Chipopolo Boys. But Zambia is no slouch when it comes to other sports events, especially athletics. They have produced some of the best Track & Field Athletes that have ever come out of Africa in the likes of Legendary Hurdler Samuel Matete and more recently the US based Sprinter Gerald Phiri. 2014 saw the rise of a young star that went on to perform a feat few Zambians have ever achieved and that is run the 400 meters race in 45 seconds. This young man is someone you need to take note of because he is a rising star in Zambian and African athletics circles and his name is Saviour Kombe. Saviour is a soft spoken young man who though unheralded will soon be a household name in Africa and around the world. He has grit and determination and has climbed his way up the ladder of achievement to become one of Zambia’s best future prospects for an Olympic medal in 2016 and beyond. Training out of a High Performance Training Center in the Indian Ocean African state of Mauritius Saviour is getting ready to stun the world this year and next at the Summer Games in Rio. I caught up with Saviour to ask him about life and his training: ASM: Tell us what it felt like last year to run a 45 seconds 400 meters race? Saviour: It really felt great, because I had being working really hard the past few years but couldn't make it, so it was really satisfying to achieve such a milestone in my career. 1