Anticipation is running high as the National Paralympics Committee (NPC) sets its sights on securing athlete qualifications for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. This ambitious endeavor is slated to unfold during the forthcoming Wheelchair Basketball 2023 African Championships, scheduled for next month in Ghana. Moses Chishimba, the General Secretary of the NPC, expressed the committee's optimism in an interview yesterday. He conveyed their positive outlook for a stellar performance by the athletes during the African Championships, set to transpire from 3rd to 12th September in Accra. Although the nine-member team has yet to initiate residential training, Chishimba highlighted the team's thorough preparation for the upcoming games. Zambia finds itself placed in Group B alongside Algeria, Nigeria, and Kenya. Their inaugural group match is set to take place on 5th September against the North Africans. With their departure scheduled for 1st September, Chishimba conveyed gratitude for the government's committed support. "Right now, we are working on logistics for the team to travel. It will be the first time the team will be competing at the African Championships, but we are ready and are targeting qualification for the Paris Olympics," he affirmed. A triumphant outcome in the tournament guarantees an automatic Olympic qualification. Additionally, the runner-up and third-placed teams will engage in playoffs with counterparts from other continents. Having consistently trained and even participated in a training game against South Africa last month, Chishimba emphasized the team's readiness. "It's our first time, but our target is to qualify for the Olympics," he reiterated. The focus of the tournament remains solely on wheelchair basketball, as other sports disciplines were postponed due to unprepared sports facilities. As the NPC's aspirations soar, all eyes are on the forthcoming African Championships, where Zambia's determined wheelchair basketball team strives to secure their spot in the Paris 2024 Olympics.