Three of Zambia’s Dazzling Sports Stars

Zambia may be a relatively small country but it has spawned some of the most successful sports stars in Africa. Greats like 400 metre Olympic silver medallist, Samuel Mtete and football supremo, Joseph Musonda will forever go down in the annals of history as outstanding Zambian athletes.
 
Along with these two giants there’s a coterie of sportsmen who have made an indelible impact on the international stage.  Here are three dazzling stars of Zambian sports… past and present:
 

Lottie Mwale – Boxing

Lottie Mwale was a reluctant boxer who relied on his ‘nuclear power packed punch’ to subdue his opponents. The Kitwe born fighter will be remembered as Zambia’s greatest ever boxer.  A gold medal at the 1974 Commonwealth Games attests to his skill and prowess in the ring.
 
Despite being offered a five-year professional contract to fight in the United States, Mwale focussed his attentions on African opponents.  He captained the national boxing team and after turning pro in 1977, he had the opportunity to spar with the great Muhammad Ali who tipped him for bigger and better things.

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Mwale’s greatest achievement was claiming the WBC light heavyweight title in 1990.  Over his career he recorded 44 wins in 53 fights, 34 of which were knock outs.
 
Despite his stellar record Mwale got very little recognition from the Zambian government and died a sick, impoverished and broken man at the age of 52.  It was only after his death that Lottie Mwale - boxer extraordinaire - was elevated in status to that of a national hero.
 

Kalusha Bwalya - Football

Former player, coach and administrator, Kalusha Bwalya is one of the most iconic footballers to emerge out of Zambia.  He started his long and successful career in the country of his birth before moving to Belgian club Cercle Brugge. 
 
After a slew of impressive performances, the talented forward was snapped up by the Dutch Eredivisie club PSV Eindhoven where he scored 24 goals in 101 appearances.  The ‘Great Kalu’ as he is known turned heads by scoring a hat-trick against Italy at the 1988 Olympic games, an achievement that earned him the African Footballer of the Year award.
 

 
Along with the national team captaincy, Bwalya won two Eredivisie Championships and one Dutch Cup and Dutch Super Cup, respectively.  Today he is regarded as one of the best footballers Africa has ever produced.
 

Robert Earnshaw – Football    

 
Robert Earnshaw is the only player in the history of world football to have scored a hat-trick in the English Premier League, the League and FA Cups, all three divisions of English football and for his adopted country, Wales.


Image Source: skysports.com 

Over a distinguished career, the Zambian born striker played for Cardiff City, West Bromwich Albion, Norwich County, Derby County and a host of clubs in Canada, the USA and Israel.  His 16 goals in 59 appearances for the Welsh national side has made him the seventh highest goal scorer of all-time for Wales.
 
Earnshaw hails from an extended family of sporting greats.  His Zambian mother, Rita was a professional footballer and later an accomplished boxer and his cousin is none other than legendary Zambian footballer Kalusha Bwalya.  His maternal uncle and nearly all his cousins were accomplished football players.
 
By the end of his remarkable career in England’s top flight, the man who is currently the assistant coach for Californian football club, Fresno boasted 183 goals in 466 appearances.  Earnshaw may have left Zambia at a tender age but his ties to the country of his birth have remained strong.  Today he is considered a luminary of Zambian sports.

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