Mixed fortunes for Team Zim in Botswana

IT was a tale of mixed fortunes for Team Zimbabwe at the Gaborone International Meet in Botswana last weekend.

Hopes were high ahead of the high profile invitational event which attracted some of the crème dela crème from the Southern Region more so as some of the athletes who made the Zimbabwe contingent had hitherto notched season best times with some even surpassing qualification times for both the World Youth and Junior Championships set for next month and July.

Nomatter Kapfudzaruwa, proved the leading light among the Zimbabwe crop, when she came first in the women 400m final in an albeit disappointing time of 58,82 seconds. Her season best time is 57,84 seconds, just below the 55,44 which is the qualifying time for the 8th IAAF World Youth Games set to run in Kenya from 12 July to 16 July.

400m prodigy Norman Mukwanda was impressive in the 400m Men Final C, when he came first in 48,63 seconds. Mavuto Tumba was third in the same race on 50,02 secs.

Panashe Majuru came a credible second position in the men’s 110m hurdles in 15,45 seconds behind Botswana’s Kemorena Tisang who romped home in 14,51 seconds.

Botswana-based crack 800m runner Nyasha Mutsetse also came second in the men’s second final notching 1 minute 51,54 seconds behind Alberto Mamba of Mozambique who completed the race 1:50,68. Titus Nyati was a distant eighth in the first 800m final on 2 minutes, 0,75 secs against his season best time of 1:50,37.

In the 100m men’s heat final Dickson Kapandura came third in 11,06 seconds, he was 0.24 seconds slower than his season best time. His compatriots Abraham Mapiravana (11.26), and Kelvin Majongwe (11,56) were fourth and sixth respectively in an affair that was won by Thandaza Zwane of Swaziland in 10,74 secs, while another Swazi Sebenele Dlamini was second in 10.78.

Zimbabwe’s leading light in the women’s 200m Gabri Mgbemena ran herself to third spot in the final in 24,74 secs, while the much heralded Maryjoy Mudyiravanji was sixth in 26,78 secs. Botswana’s Leugo Matlhaku (24,22) and Zambia’s Rhoda Njoru were first and second, respectively.

Itai Vambe was second in the men’s second 100m final in 10,71 secs while his compatriot Samuel Tapera was sixth in 11,26 secs. The race was won by Mlandvo Shongwe of Swaziland in 10,68 secs.

In the first 100m final hopeful Ngoni Makusha came home a disappointing fifth in 10,80 secs in a race that was won by Mosito Lehato of Lesotho in 10,20 secs, while Zambian Sidney Siame was second in 10,47 secs. Ahead of the race Siame had the world leading time of 9,88 secs.

Makusha was again a big letdown in the 200m final where he came fourth in 21,42 secs, just ahead Kenneth Chibwana who came fifth in 22,54 secs.

There was no joy for Kundai Maguranyanga and Donovan Mutariswa who came fifth and sixth in 21,80, and 22,23 secs in the 200m heat men’s final respectively, as well as Abraham Mapiravana, and Kelvin Majongwe in same placings in 21,96 and 23,04 secs over the same distance in another final.

Ngoni Chadyira fourth in 49 secs in the 400m heat final, and Nigel Tom, seventh in the 400m men’s final were the other huge disappointments.

The toast of Zimbabwean athletes in the field, albeit when coming third, was Javelin thrower James Mutenji, whose best throw was 51,25 metres which bettered his then personal best of 52,49.

Mutenji is yet to meet the qualification standard of 61 metres for the World Junior Championships set for Algeria from 29 June to 2 July.

Zimbabwe athletes will now have to redeem themselves at the Confederation of African Athletics Southern Region Championships Zimbabwe will host in Harare from 10 June to 11 June.

“The positions were not bad but the times were not impressive, although if you look at some performances by other athletes the times didn’t impress as well. For example a Zambian with the world leading time of 9,98 from the week before ran 10,47 secs. The weather affected the performances,’’ said Pakamile Lisimati, the National Athletics Associations of Zimbabwe Director of Talent Identification and Coaching.

“It is still work in progress as we have a championships to host next month,’’ added Lisimati.