Booster runs with the big boys

Tinashe Kusema

“There are going to be some amazing contests in these World Championships. There are events in which superstars are going up against each other and, as an expert, my guess is as good as anyone else’s about who is going to win.

“It’s unpredictable. That is exciting.

“Those head-to-heads are what drives the sport.”

These were the words of legendary sprinter and American icon Michael Johnson published by the BBC on the eve of World Athletics Championships that began on Friday and run until July 24 in Eugene, Oregon, USA.

While the primary focus of the story was to hype up the event and highlight the decline in athletics in both the United Kingdom and US, one point that Johnson, himself an eight-time gold medalist at the event, made that rings true about this particular World Championships is that it is expected to serve “great narratives and great contests”.

Zimbabwe’s representatives in Oregon – Chengetayi Mapaya, Isaac Mpofu and Tinotenda Matiyenga – go into the championships not only with a unique story to tell but experiences that will enrich their triumphs should they make it to the podium.

The 33-year-old Mpofu is only at the competition after his time at the Durban Marathon, where he was disqualified in May over a technicality, was reinstated after an appeal.

Athletics South Africa (ASA) ruled that Mpofu failed to display a second licence number on his vest, after which they stripped him of both his time and R50 000 prize money.

Chengetayi Mapaya, who makes his second appearance at the competition, has quite the romance with Oregon and, more specifically, the venue Haywood Field.

It was the same venue where the 23-year-old tore his hamstring during last year’s NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, an injury that robbed the triple jump champion of a debut at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

He, however, managed to atone for all that when he won gold at this year’s edition of the Outdoor Track and Field Championships to punch his ticket to the World Championships.

“I am going in with a set energy and returning to Oregon, the place I now call home,” declared Mapaya on the eve of the competition.

“I have had highs and lows in Oregon – getting injured last year and going back there to win again – and this is just a continuation of my redemption tour.

“I remember kneeling down for a prayer on the dirt before my event at the outdoor track and fields and asked God to remove any fear and doubt that was in me.

“It worked and now I have no fear,” he said.

For short-distance runner Matiyenga, only 10 days ago his singular focus was to complete his classes so he can graduate next month.

“After the outdoor champs, I took a little for myself to reflect on my time here at TCU (Texas Christian University), as I knew that my time here had come to an end,” he said.

“Since then, I had been taking my last outstanding classes so I can graduate early next month.”

Matiyenga and Mapaya will be graduating at TCU on August 5, ending a highly successful time on track and field for the Fort Worth-based university.

However, before then, the two are expected to grace the World Athletics Championship, with Mapaya taking part in the triple jump while Matiyenga competes in the 200 metres.

On the eve of his first heat, which takes place tomorrow, 22-year-old Matiyenga is yet to fully process how he even managed to secure a ticket to the event.

All he knows is that it is due to his world rankings.

“I was told some 10 days ago that I had qualified due to world rankings,” added Matiyenga.

“How the world ranking system works, I don’t really know.

“However, I was really happy when I got the news.

“I remember it was like four in the morning and it took a couple of minutes for everything to really sink in.”

While this is his debut appearance at the event, he has not set targets aside from learning as much as he can and doing his best.

He is not even bothered by the fact that he did not prepare for the event as much as he would have liked.

Instead, he believes that coming from a full programme on the NCAA circuit puts him in good stead.

Beyond the World Athletics Championships, he wants to turn professional.

“Since I am done with my college commitments here at TCU, I am now a professional,” said the 100- and 200-metre sprinter.

“All that is left for me now is to go out and try to secure sponsorships, train and compete in as many events as possible.

“I want to compete at the Diamond League events, but I am pretty sure it’s by invitation and how I perform here will help with that.”