Racheal Nachula’s Chance to Become a Two-Sport Olympian with Zambia at Paris 2024

19.07.2024 | Football in my DNA

Zambian striker Racheal Nachula is on the brink of making history this month by potentially becoming a two-sport Olympian for Zambia. Sixteen years ago, she made a remarkable appearance in the semi-final of the women’s 400m at the Beijing 2008 Olympics. Now, at Paris 2024, she has the opportunity to represent her homeland in her first love: football.

Head coach Bruce Mwape has selected Nachula as one of the four alternate options outside his 18-player squad. This means she remains available for selection in case of injury or illness among the primary team members. This chance to fulfil her dream of participating in Olympic football comes after she missed out on the roster three years ago for Tokyo 2020.

In a previous interview with Olympics.com, Nachula shared her journey into athletics, revealing how personal tragedy propelled her into sports. “When my mum passed in December 2003, it wasn’t easy,” she said. “I decided I must do something, then I joined sport out of a need to earn income.” What started as a necessity soon became a platform for her to showcase her natural abilities, initially in football, and later using her pace to train in running.

“I was happy to be part of the Olympics [in 2008] and to run with top athletes like Sanya Richards, Allyson Felix… it was amazing!” Nachula recalled. Despite her impressive performance in Beijing, she struggled to rediscover her form afterward but wasn’t ready to give up on sports just yet.

In 2014, Nachula returned to her first love, football, eventually making her international debut for Zambia in 2017. Reflecting on her journey, she said, “When one door closes, another opens. Don’t keep looking at the closed door. We can also manage to develop another talent.”

Zambia will kick off their Paris 2024 women's football campaign against heavyweights Team USA on Thursday, July 25th. Nachula’s inclusion as an alternate gives her a chance to create a unique legacy as a two-sport Olympian, underscoring her resilience and versatility as an athlete.

Credit:  Olympics.com