Online Reporter
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ZIMBABWE athletics lovers will have to live in high expectation of more athletes to represent the country at the World Athletics Championships that will run from September 13-21.
They will know by weekend when World Athletics announces the list of all eligible athletes, by qualification and ranking.
Japan is playing host to the biggest athletics event of the year.
World Athletics is expected to announce the confirmed list of participants to this year’s event after going through the qualification criteria set last year.
Zimbabwe has Makanakaishe Charamba, Tapiwanashe Makarawu both 200m sprinters, 400m runner Vimbai Maisvoreva, marathon runners Isaac Mpofu, Tendai Zimuto and Fortunate Chidvivo who have already secured their tickets.
Four other athletes have a very strong chance of gatecrashing at the last minute.
David Nyamufarira, Denzel Siamsialela, Chenge Mapaya and Ashley Miller could find themselves running in Tokyo, Japan next month.
They had good seasons and are ranked in the world’s top 50 of their respective events.
For this year’s event, World Athletics wants 50 percent to qualify through entry standards and the remaining 50 on rankings.
With each country allowed three athletes per individual event, countries like the US and Jamaica may have more athletes within the required threshold of 48 athletes for Japan, leaving athletes of other countries to move into the expected best 48 runners for the 100, 200 and 400m runners.
For instance in the 200m, the US has 18 athletes in the top 48, yet only three will be allowed to participate in Tokyo, which brightens’ hopefuls within.
Siamusialela is 49th ranked in the 200m this year, Miller 42nd in the 400m hurdles and Mapaya 16th in the triple jump.
Nyamufarira missed qualification by an inch with a season’s best of 10.01 seconds against 10.00 seconds the qualifying time in the 100m.
He is 46th in the world in an event in which 14 Americans are in the top 48.
