Kopala inter-company relay moves to Chingola

Zambia Athletics President Maj Bernard Chola Bwalya has called for stronger corporate partnerships to drive health, wellness and athletics development as he officially launched the KCM Kopala Inter Company Relay 2026 at Nchanga Stadium. The event, sponsored by Konkola Copper…

Zambia Athletics President Maj Bernard Chola Bwalya has called for stronger corporate partnerships to drive health, wellness and athletics development as he officially launched the KCM Kopala Inter Company Relay 2026 at Nchanga Stadium.

The event, sponsored by Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) for the second consecutive year, is scheduled for Saturday, 17th October 2026 at Nchanga Stadium under the theme: “Celebrating Corporate Partnerships, Health & Wellness”.

MajBwalya thanked KCM for backing the relay, noting the company has gone further this year by combining it with KCM Sports Day and other activities.

“This demonstrates that KCM believes in the value of sport, health and wellness, corporate engagement and, importantly, the development of athletics in Zambia,” he said.

The Zambia Athletics boss said the federation is building on the foundation laid by Elias Mpondela and others, and is taking the relay to more towns.

After Kitwe last year, Chingola is hosting in 2026, with ambitions to take it to Choma, Kaputa and every province.

Bwalya said the relay is about more than running. It’s a platform for talent identification, employee wellness, networking and community engagement.

“Our vision goes beyond organising events. We want to identify talent wherever it exists and create a strong pool of athletes across our country… Talent is everywhere in Zambia. Our responsibility is to create platforms where that talent can be seen, identified and nurtured,” he said.

He added that events like this help Zambia Athletics discover young athletes and feed them into provincial, national and international structures.

The 2026 edition is expected to attract more than 50 companies, over 1,000 participants and thousands of spectators with a budget of approximately K850,000.

Bwalya called on more companies to come on board, saying the funds go toward *youth development, grassroots structures, athlete preparation and international competition*.

“To the corporate world, I say: come and partner with us. Come and run. Come and walk. Come and exhibit. Come and network. But most importantly, come and invest in the future of our young people and the future of athletics in Zambia,” he said.