The 16-year-old won the 100 metres at the Summer Youth Olympic Games here last Saturday (August 23) and then, yesterday, silver in the 8x100m relay.

The teenager has spent the last 18 months training at the Sport for Hope Centre in Lusaka.

Inaugurated in 2010, when it was opened by then IOC President Jacques Rogge, the multi-sport complex aims to promote and facilitate access to sports for young athletes and local communities.

The programme also aims to provide athletes in developing countries with the opportunity to practice sport and be educated in the values of Olympism, with a second such centre having opened in Haiti last month.

International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge opened Zambia's Sport for Hope Centre in Lusaka in 2010 ©IOC

Siame's success has perfectly encapsulated the aim of the project and it is hoped his podium finish will be followed by many others over future years. 

"It's been so long for Zambia to win a medal like this," Siame said.

"I think the people at home are very happy."

Siame's success also sends out a strong message just weeks after Bessy Chelemu, director of sport at Zambia's Ministry for Youth and Sport, set a target for the country to win its first ever Olympic gold medal at Rio 2016. 

Siame has already revealed his aim to be the person who achieves this target, insisting he "won't relax, [because] it's just the beginning for me".

"In fact, my target is [Rio] 2016 and [Tokyo] 2020, Zambians should expect gold from there," he said.

Zambia have had more sporting success in the last month, with judoka Boas Munyonga taking one of two bronze medals for the country at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow
©AFP/Getty Images





Zambia won two bronze medals at the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, for under 81 kilogram judoka Boas Munyonga, and middleweight boxer Benny Muziyo

Boxer Keith Mwila won the country's first Olympic medal, a bronze, in the light flyweight category at Los Angeles 1984, and 12 years later, Samuel Matete secured silver in the men's 400 metres hurdles at Atlanta 1996.

But they have yet to win gold, or secure even a minor medal in the four Summer Games since, with British-based 100m runner Gerald Phiri, producing the best performance at London 2012 when he finished fifth in his 100m semi-final.

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