‘Everything is in order’ – Jiangsu Suning striker Chawinga excited by training return

Tabitha Chawinga has expressed joy over the return to training with her teammates at her Chinese Women’s Super League side this week.

The 24-year-old joined Jiangsu in January 2018 and has been prolific, scoring 51 goals in 34 games on her debut season to solidify her reputation as one of the world’s best female strikers.

In the following season, she retained the Chinese top-scorer prize, scoring 35 goals in 24 matches in all competitions to help Jiangsu to a quadruple, including the first league diadem since 2009. 

The Asian country – where Chawinga is plying her trade was the place the Covid-19 disease was discovered in late 2019, with 83,021 cases and 4,634 deaths recorded, as of Wednesday.

The Chinese top-flight was one of the football leagues that was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has now returned with team training following the easing of the lockdown in China.

With lockdown restrictions eased by the Chinese government, hopes of the league season kicking off are increasingly likely with training commencing for Guangdong, Changchun and now Jiangsu.

The forward, who scored the first-ever goal at the AFC Women’s Club Championship, has shared her reactions following the return to individual training after the lockdown.

“It becomes absurd and awkward to keep on training without competitive games,” Chawinga told Malawian tabloid Nyasa Times.

“I am happy that we have started training and everything is in order.

“If you have the skill, it is always there even after an abrupt and long break due to the coronavirus pandemic. I am very hopeful that I will do well this season.”

The Malawian was the second top scorer in the Tokyo 2020 African Olympic Games qualifiers, scoring six goals in four games in her country’s first-ever outing in their history in a continental event.

Despite winning the quadruple and three top scorer awards in China, the Jiangsu star could not make the final three shortlist for the 2019 African Women’s Footballer of the Year award, eventually won by Asisat Oshoala.