Malawi's athletes currently undergoing special training at University of Gloucestershire in UK have registered a remarkable progress after impressing in test competitions ahead of the London Olympic Games set to start this month end.

Malawi Olympic Committee (Moc) treasurer Jappie Mhango, who is the leader of the delegation, speaking in a telephone interview this week, said they were encouraged by the performances of Mike Tebulo, John Kayange and London-based Ambwene Simukonda after they competed in test competitions last weekend.

Competing in half marathon (21km) Tebulo finished second behind a champion from Mongolia. Tebulo managed to clock 1:05:40 beating his personal best of 2:18:21.

Kayange finished on third position after clocking 1:05:55 seconds and he also beat his personal best which was standing at 2:05:55.Simukonda competing in 400 managed to maintain her personal best record of 54:32.

"We are impressed with the performance of the athletes. Their performance simply underlines the fact that they are undergoing a special training programme," Mhango said.

However, Mhango said they were struggling to identify test competitions for swimmers Charlton Nyirenda and Joyce Tafatatha.

"We are still hoping that we will get hold of the organisers so that the swimmers should have a chance to assess their prowess before the Olympics," he said.Meanwhile, Mhango said one of the athletes would be dropped just before the start of the Olympic Games.

"If given chance we would have loved if all our athletes had competed at the Olympic Games. But we don't have such a chance and as a result one athlete will return home," he said.

The local athletes failed to qualify for this year's edition of the London Olympic Games but they will participate at the Games courtesy of Olympic Solidarity programme.