Mutare athlete in world championships
EXUBERANT young athlete, Panashe Nhenga has recovered from a hamstring injury suffered during preparations for the regional games held in 2023 in Malawi to hit a purple patch that saw him making the grade for the World Junior Championships scheduled for Peru in August this year.
The 19-year-old athlete who finished his Advanced Level studies at Hillcrest College in Penhalonga recently started off on a high note, and baring some unforeseen eventualities, will be a force to watch at the global athletics competition.
Nhenga, who first cut his athletic milk teeth at Baring Primary
School, also fell sick during the Malawi competition, and coupled with the hamstring injury, he still snatched a medal to add to the 18 amassed by Zimbabwean athletes.
Nhenga made the grade for the World Junior Championships set for Lima in Peru from August 27 to 31 this year following a stellar performance in the March 18 South Africa Grand Prix.
Apparently, this is not the first time that Nhenga has been at the World Junior Championships, having featured in the 2022 edition in Colombia where he competed as the youngest 100-metres athlete.
He was out in the first round stage at the age of 17 back then.
“Being on the world stage, back-to-back is something I never imagined I would achieve. I just give all the glory to God, and give thanks to all coaches who have been part of the journey. This time around I will be participating in both 100m and 200m races, unlike the last time when I just did the 100m,” he said. During the South Africa Grand Prix, Nhenga managed to run a personal best time of 10.52 seconds in the 100m and 21.3 seconds in the 200m races respectively. “I am confident that I can run faster than this. I started my season late, and I think running these quick times now is so promising,” he said. On the local and continental scene, Nhenga has been there and has done justice! He has been in the top 10 African youth ranking for both 100m and 200m sprint events.
He is also Zimbabwe’s national champion for his age group in both 100m and 200m contests.
As if that was enough, he holds the fastest record of a 100m time ever run by an Under-18 male athlete in Zimbabwe after clocking 10.57 seconds in the event at the Zambia Meet. Suffice to say, Nhenga’s nimble footedness and agility on the track can only be God-given aptitude!