The Zambia Weightlifting Federation (ZWF) needs about K400,000 to send a two-member team to compete at the World Championship in Saudi Arabia. The event, set for September 4th to 17th, 2023, in Riyadh, will see athletes earn points to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. In an interview with the Times, ZWF President Gilbert Moono said that the amount required would cater to air tickets and other logistics for the two athletes, coach, and an official. "We have been invited to take part in the World Championship in Saudi Arabia. The Championship is also a qualifying event for the 2024 Olympic Games. We have selected a team that is going to represent the country at the first-ever World Stage qualifiers," he said. He said the journey to the Paris Games started in Tunisia at the African Weightlifting Senior Olympic qualifiers where Isaac Sinks, from OYDC Zambia, won the Silver medal and qualified to compete in the next stage of the qualifiers. "The regulations state that Zambia needs to compete in five international qualifying Championships for athletes to make it to the Paris Games next year. So far, the country has already competed in one event and has four remaining, and it was said that our athletes could not travel to Cuba due to a lack of sponsorship," he said. He said the federation had also failed to send an athlete to the upcoming Championship in India because they wanted to target the one in Saudi Arabia. Moono named the athletes to represent Zambia as Sinka, the 55kg Silver medalist in Tunisia, Douglas Mutale (88kg) category, and Joseph Njovu (62kg). He said about K20,000 would be needed to help camp the athletes locally two weeks before the World Championship. He said there was a need for sponsors to come on board to help the federation raise funds. "We are very expectant that those athletes we have selected on merit will go and perform very well and bring medals to the country and also qualify for the Olympic Games next year," he said.