Ellina Mhlanga-Zimpapers Sports Hub
AS the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games draw closer, Zimbabwe’s top sprinter Makanakaishe Charamba has urged the young athletes to go into the event with an open mind.
Zimbabwe have a 12-member team in place that will compete in athletics, cycling, equestrian, judo, rowing, swimming and triathlon.
The Games will be the first Olympic sporting event to be staged on the African continent and will run from October 31 to November 13 in Senegal.
The multi-sport competition is expected to bring together around 2 700 young athletes from across the world.
In an interview with Zimpapers Sports Hub recently, Charamba, an Olympian himself who made his debut at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, said the young athletes should enjoy the moment.
“I feel like it was a long time coming, because now, at least the world is now recognising Africa, and I would say it’s a game-changer, too,” said Charamba.
“So, my words of encouragement to the athletes going to the Youth Olympics, I would say just go enjoy; just go and have fun.
“You only live once, and these opportunities are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, because once you get there, anything can happen.
“But don’t put pressure on yourself, just go enjoy.”
He urged the young athletes to carry themselves with confidence and make the most of the opportunity.
The 24-year-old believes such events as the Youth Olympics are a good platform for exposure and building one’s confidence.
“I would like to instil a mindset of saying, at the end of the day, you all got two legs, so we are good to go.
“They are just human beings like us at the end of the day. So, there is nothing, there is no pressure.
“I would say, getting it at that age is actually a blessing, because by the time you grow older and you get exposed to these competitions and these situations, you will say, okay, but I once did it when I was young, so why can’t I do it when I am older?
“And also, if I had gotten in that same situation, I feel like it would have been a different story right now. Not to say I am in a bad spot, but I would say I could have been where I am at right now long back.
“So, yeah, I feel like for me it was a matter of time. But if I had gotten that opportunity, I would have taken it gracefully,” added Charamba.
The 200m sprinter is one of the country’s prospects for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
He has already booked his place at next year’s World Athletics Championships in Beijing, China.
Charamba is hoping for his second appearance at the next edition of the Olympics when the qualification window for athletics opens.
He is one of the nine beneficiaries of the Olympic Solidarity Scholarships for LA28.
“I feel like it’s a game-changer. I would say, because now I don’t have to worry about, oh, how am I going to pay for the training room? How am I going to pay for the track to use? Because now I am no longer in college, so I have to pay for all these things.
“And it covers most of the expenses. It gives me time. It gives me an opportunity to prepare so that by the time I get on the park, I will be able to perform to the best of my ability.
“So, I will say that it’s a game-changer,” Charamba said.
Through the support of the International Olympic Committee, the Olympic Solidarity Scholarship funding offers assistance to National Olympic Committees for direct athlete support towards preparation and qualification for the Olympic Games.
Starting in September 2025, and continuing until August 2028, the selected athletes will benefit from a monthly stipend, which comes from the Olympic Solidarity Fund.
