A teenage athlete shot dead in “an act of cold-blooded murder” could have reached the Olympics, his coach said today.
Middle distance runner Sylvester Akapalara, 17, who trained with Herne Hill Harriers, had the potential to reach the top of his sport, said club secretary Steve Bosley.
David Nyamupfukudza, 19, who tried to kill two other boys in the same attack in Peckam in 2010, was jailed yesterday for life after a retrial. Sodiq Adeojo, 20, convicted at an earlier trial, is serving at least 30 years for the murder. Both were members of the Peckham-based GMG — or Guns, Murder, Girls — street gang.
Sylvester, part of Richmond College’s gifted and talented athletic programme, had won medals at national championships and English Schools championships. Mr Bosley said today: “It is very difficult to be an Olympian but there was no reason why not. He had all the attributes.”
Sylvester, from Streatham, was killed on the Pelican Estate after a verbal exchange between two groups of youths. Two of his friends were stabbed by their attackers, who also tried to shoot them — but the gun jammed.
After the killing, leaflets were dropped in the area warning witnesses not to “snitch” on the murderers.
In an impact statement Natalie Williams, the daughter of Sylvester’s foster mother, said: “We will miss Sylvester deeply... He was a great young man who never got the chance to fulfil his dreams. Sylvester was very focused on his athletics.”
At the Old Bailey, Judge Timothy Pontius told Nyamupfukudza he will serve at least 26 years, saying: “You were a willing participant in that act of cold-blooded murder.” Sylvester was a “promising young athlete of remarkable ability” who “happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time”, added the judge.
“Now yet another mother and also an adopted family have been left devastated and distraught by the violent slaughter of a much-loved son.”
