Chadenga finds inspiration in the strangest of places

Tinashe Kusema

SHAQUILLE O’NEAL, Ben Simmons, Joe Burrow, Odell Beckham Jr and Angel Reese!

These are only five of the many great sportspersons who walked down the halls of Louisiana State University (LSU) and went on to carve largely successful careers for themselves.

O’Neal is a four-time National Basketball Association champion and can now be found bringing his brash, unfiltered opinions as a colour commentator on ESPN’s “Inside the NBA”.

Burrow is a Cincinnati Bengals quarterback and a former Heisman Trophy winner with LSU (2020), while Miami Dolphins’ Beckham Jr is one of the most athletically gifted wide receivers of his generation and won his only NFL championship back in 2021. Reese and Caitlin Clark brought more eyes to women’s sports during the recent basketball rivalry between the two and their colleges, LSU and IOWA.

The two have since moved to the WNBA. Reese and Clark ply their trade with Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever, respectively. These sportspersons typify the shoes that Zimbabwean high jump champion Kudakwashe Chadenga has to fill as one of the top sporting talents at LSU. While basketball and American football are a far cry from track and field sports, Chadenga sees the importance of these great athletes and the many who came before him.

The 21-year-old Political Science major views O’Neal and fellow Zimbabwean Chengetayi Mapaya as role models and sources of inspiration.

O’Neal, in particular, was one of the main reasons Chadenga chose to attend LSU and he has been having the time of his life at the institution.

“I am really enjoying my time at LSU; I have always wanted to come here and it is truly a dream come true now,” said the 21-year-old high jump starlet.

“Campus life is nice; it has been easy to adjust to as the students and my teammates have been so welcoming.

“We came here for a visit, before committing, and I remember telling myself ‘LSU’, ‘LSU’, ‘LSU’ every time after the tour.

“LSU is a very big school and there are a lot of alumni like Joe Burrow and Shaquille O’Neal, and being here just motivates and inspires me.

“Many great athletes have passed through this school and gone on to carve great careers for themselves. This has given me something to aspire to.”

Chadenga probably took his first step towards following the paths of LSU greats like Burrow, O’Neal and Reese, all former college champions, as the Zimbabwean qualified for this week’s NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Slated for June 5-8 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, is the holy grail of track and field athletics and is probably the most important meet of Chadenga’s budding career.

The Zimbabwean punched his ticket to the Games with 2,17 metres jump at the NCAA East First Round held in Kentucky at the UK Track & Field Complex last weekend.

“Yeah, the nationals are around the corner and I am so ready for them,” he said. “I feel good; the preparations have been great and I kind of feel way better than I did when we had our indoor meet.

“I was not in the right mindset and I wasn’t jumping well. However, we have changed the programme and here, at LSU, the coaching is more technical.

“I can feel the adjustments and improvements that they have made to my technique.”

With the Olympic qualification window still open, Chadenga has refused to rule out making the grade and clinching his ticket to the games.

The former Zimbabwean high jump junior champion has called on fellow Zimbabwean Mapaya for advice.

Mapaya is a former NCAA triple jump champion and even made the grade for the 2021 Olympics before an ill-timed injury ruled him out of Tokyo.

“There have been many Zimbabwean NCAA champions and they give me something to aim for,” said Chadenga.

“I talk to Chenge (Chengetayi Mapaya) a lot, and he is one of those people who walked through this path before me. He is the type of guy who knows what it takes to be a champion and he has been guiding me.

“He is like a big brother to me and has been giving me guidance. With Chenge, I know that I am in good hands and I know that I am going to do well.”

On the Paris Games, Chadenga said: “The window is still open, yes, but I am not going to let that distract me. I know I am going to be there in Paris and I am definitely going to qualify.

“I have faith in myself; I believe in myself. I trust the LSU coaches and the programmes they have me on.”