Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
MAKANAKAISHE Charamba continues to underline his status as one of the best sprinters to have emerged from his country following another stellar performance at the Wanda Diamond League last Friday in Doha, Qatar.
Charamba blazed to a second-place finish behind South Africa’s Sinesipho Dambile, as he clocked 19.88 seconds for the second time this month.
Dambile crossed the finish line in a personal best time of 19.74 seconds.
Dominican Republic’s Alexander Ogando was third in a season-best of 19.96 seconds.
For Charamba, it was the second time he clocked 19.88 seconds, his personal best this month, having first run the PB at the USATF Lone Star Grand Prix two weeks ago.
The Zimbabwean sprinter is ranked seventh in the men’s 200m on the World Rankings.
Fellow Zimbabwean Ashley Miller Kamangirira also lined up for the women’s 400m hurdles.
She finished sixth with a time of 54.33 seconds, as she took on some of the world’s best, including world bronze medallist Emma Zapletalová from Slovakia.
Zapletalová won the race in 52.30 seconds, clocking a world lead, meeting record and national record.
According to World Athletics, it was her fourth consecutive Diamond League victory after winning in Rabat, Rome and Oslo.
She was followed by Jamaica’s Rushell Clayton in 53.05 seconds to complete the top three.
For the Zimbabwean athletes – Charamba and Kamangirira – the performances remain important as they are building towards the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Kamangirira is ranked 23rd in the women’s 400m hurdles on the World Rankings. She set a national record of 54.08 seconds early this month.
Kamangirira and Charamba are among the top hopefuls for Zimbabwe and both are beneficiaries of the LA28 Olympic Solidarity Scholarships.
With such showings at global competitions, they are proving their capabilities to be among the best in the world.
They also have the World Championships coming next year in Beijing, China.
