The National Olympic Committee of Zambia (NOCZ) has praised the Zambia Hockey Association (ZHA) for organizing the Zambezi Hockey Test Series, currently underway at the OYDC Zambia Sports Development Centre. The tournament, which kicked off on June 7th, features teams from Uganda, Malawi, and Zambia and is serving as a preparatory event for the upcoming Africa Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe. "The Zambia Hockey Association should be commended for organizing this event. Many sports associations lack similar competitions, which are essential for identifying athletes who can represent Zambia at various competitive games," said NOCZ Secretary General Boniface Kambikambi. Kambikambi added, "We are happy to note that several young athletes have been given a chance to showcase their skills in this tournament, which will provide them with an opportunity to grow their sporting career." ZHA President Hazel Kennedy welcomed the participating teams and expressed delight at the growth of hockey in the country. "We are delighted with the participation of other countries in the tournament, which will help keep the sport of hockey growing in Zambia," she said. Kennedy also applauded OYDC Zambia management for accommodating the teams, saying, "The opportunity given to OYDC Zambia to host the games will help market the sports facilities and attract other sports codes to utilize the center as it continues to revamp some of the facilities whose lifespan has expired." The Zambezi Hockey Test Series will conclude on Sunday, and teams are expected to use the tournament as a preparatory ground for the upcoming Africa Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe. "We are thrilled to host this tournament, and we believe it will help our teams prepare for the upcoming Africa Cup qualifiers," said Kennedy. The tournament has already seen exciting matches, with Uganda thrashing Malawi 6-1 in the men's category and Zambia holding Uganda to a 2-2 draw in the women's category. Follow Zed Sport for all the latest sports news updates.