Online Reporter
Brandon Moyo, Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIMBABWEAN sprinter Makanakaishe Charamba, a rising talent based in the USA who has also recently secured a significant endorsement deal with Adidas, continues to turn heads, even capturing the attention of retired Olympic and World Champion Justin Gatlin.
The Auburn University student made headlines at the 2025 Tom Jones Invitational, clocking a remarkable 19.99 seconds in the men’s 200-metre final. This time not only set a new world lead for the year but also made him the first athlete to break the 20-second barrier this outdoor season.
Gatlin, co-host of the Ready Set Go Podcast, noted his admiration for Charamba’s physique following this powerful run from the reigning South-Eastern Conference (SEC) 200m champion and NCAA Indoor silver medallist, whose indoor speed is clearly translating to outdoor success.
“I didn’t realise that Charamba was that tall and big. Sitting in the stands, and watching him, I asked myself, who is this grown man running with these boys? He came off that turn, he was just like all shoulders,” said Gatlin while demonstrating the way the Zimbabwean sprinter was running.
Rodney Green, another sprinter and Gatlin’s co-host, lauded Charamba as a talent with a promising future. He urged Charamba to maintain his hard work as he prepares to transition to a higher level of competition after university, where he will face established athletes.
“We had 19.99 by Charamba from Zimbabwe. That kid is special, he is the Indoor NCAA champion, and he is special. If you watch him come off the curve and you just watch him work. And, he is a bigger guy, I was very impressed. We are going to see what he does for Zimbabwe if he can hold this type of running after the NCAA.
“It’s definitely going to be hard, he will have to peak again. He knows once you leave this realm of NCAA, you will be running against the likes of (Andre) De Grasse, Noah (Lyles), and Joseph Fahnbulleh, who opened up his 200 metres in 20.07, which wasn’t too shabby. He is going to have to be ready for that type of stage,” said Green.
The 23-year-old Olympic finalist, Charamba, continues his steady ascent in global sprinting. While maintaining dominance in US collegiate athletics, the talented athlete has also secured a significant endorsement off the track, announcing a Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deal with Adidas via his X account. This marks another stride towards his burgeoning career.
“Beyond excited to officially announce that I have signed an NIL deal with Adidas! This wouldn’t be possible without the incredible support from my family, coaches, teammates, and everyone who’s been in my corner. Thank you for believing in me — the journey is just getting started,” Charamba posted. — @brandon_malvin
