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Ellina Mhlanga -Senior Sports Reporter
RISING high jumper Kudakwashe Chadenga is proud of himself after setting a new national junior record for high jump during the National Junior Championships staged at White City in Bulawayo over the weekend.
Chadenga set a new national record when he jumped 2.14m at the meet that was part of the selection process for the team to partake in the World Athletics Under-20 Championships set for August in Kenya.
The previous record was 2.13m posted by Takudzwa Muchichwa in 2012.
Chadenga slightly missed the 2.16m qualifying standard for the World Championships. But he is excited about his performance.
“I’m really happy that I managed to set the new junior record. I am really proud of myself, it’s something that I wasn’t expecting.
“Yes it was something that I wasn’t expecting because I really hadn’t been competing. But it came to my surprise that I broke the junior record.
“Sunday’s competition was wonderful, lots of people turned up for that, and I also was shocked with the high jumpers’ numbers, we were many,” said Chadenga.
Sunday’s performance also so him making the qualifying standard for the Africa Senior Championships to take place from June 1 to 5 in Algeria.
“Qualifying for that competition was a shocker. But I am really happy that at such an age I manage to qualify at a big competition for the seniors. I am really happy,” Chadenga said.
He will be hoping to make the grade for the World Under-20 Championships in the other upcoming qualifying events.
Online Reporter