Makarawu carries nation’s hopes
US-BASED Zimbabwe sprinter Tapiwanashe Makarawu carries the nation’s hopes at this year’s All-Africa Games and the Olympics after a blistering start to the 2024 season.
The former Bindura University undergraduate and sprinter, has run the second-fastest indoor time of 20.29 seconds on the 200m indoor circuit. It is a promising time as the indoor competitions are quite difficult as the course curves right round unlike the conventional 200m on an enlarged track. If he were to translate that to outdoor all conditions being the same, he has the potential to run a pulsating sub-20 seconds.
He clocked the season’s second best when finishing first in a track and field event in Texas United States of America on 13 January 2024. The All-Africa Games will take place in Accra, Ghana from 8-23 March with hopes his university will release him for his country. At that time the university athletics season will be hotting up with collegiate finals ahead of the start of the regular athletics season.
Only French athlete Erriyon Knighton Lievin has run a faster time a 20.21 seconds achieved on 10 February 2024 almost a month after Makarawu had reigned supreme over the distance in January. Zimbabwean Makanaishe Charamba has run the 41st-best indoor 200m and his 20.78 seconds is equally good too. This was achieved on 10 February. It’s been a promising start to the year with former Plumtree boy Clive Muunga running an indoor 200m of 21.30 seconds, with former City athlete Denzel Simusialela running 21.46 and Edwin Nyamutswa’s 21.56. With more world-class competition over the distance, the indoor circuit could be good preparatory ground for the athletes to shine in outdoor competitions and qualify for the Paris Olympics later during the year.
The quintet’s performances so far have left Zimbabweans with a form belief that this could be the best 4x100m relay team in a long time and with these great times the lads could also do well in the 4x400m relays if they get at least two good 400m runners. In the 400m indoor competitions for the 2024 season, Takudzwa Chiyangwa has run the best by a Zimbabwean at a time of 46.10 seconds. With a promising group of younger athletes, veteran Ngoni Makusha announced in Pretoria, South Africa on 27 January 2024, that he is not spent force with a time of 10.30 sends on the outdoor scene.
Makusha’s time is the 15th best in the world to date as athletes gear up for the All-Africa and Olympic Games. The best 100m has been run by Emmanuel Elkanen Lonsider of Nigeria.
With the window for the Olympics open until June 30, Zimbabwe athletes have a chance in individual races and the relays to qualify for the biggest.