NOCZ President Alfred Foloko praised his nation's five-medal haul at the African Games ©NOCZ

National Olympic Committee of Zambia (NOCZ) President Alfred Foloko has praised his country's athletes after they won five medals at the African Games in Morocco.

Foloko welcomed the returning athletes at the Kenneth Kunda International Airport in Lusaka and said the NOCZ was committed to improving performance at international multi-sports events.

He congratulated Sydney Siame for winning gold in the men's 200 metres in Rabat last month and the Zambia Amateur Athletics Association (ZAAA) for helping to develop athletes to a level to be able to win continental competitions.

Foloko urged the nation's sports federations to utilise the NOCZ's resources.

Siame, and swimmer Tilka Palijk, a 50m breaststroke bronze medallist in Rabat, are both beneficiaries of the NOCZ's Olympic Solidarity Scholarship scheme.

Siame thanked ZAAA and NOCZ for giving him the opportunity to represent Zambia and reiterated a commitment to improving his performance.

Sydney Siame of Zambia won gold in the men's 200m at the African Games in Rabat ©Getty Images
Sydney Siame of Zambia won gold in the men's 200m at the African Games in Rabat ©Getty Images

At the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic Games in China, Siame won 100m gold in 10.56sec.

He was also Zambia's first athlete to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Zambia also won bronze medals in boxing and badminton, and a silver medal in chess, at last month's African Games.

Makumba Lorita Mwango earned silver in the women's rapid individual chess tournament and Kalombo Mulenga claimed bronze in the men's badminton singles.

Everisto Mulenga collected a bronze medal in the men's featherweight boxing category.