Online Reporter
Onward Gangata
Zimpapers Sports Hub
WHEN Elton Chikona broke through in 2023, courage followed him everywhere. At 17, he played without fear, running at grown men, inviting contact, finishing chances, asking questions seasoned defenders did not enjoy answering.
That boldness carried him all the way to Dynamos, where the teenager announced himself on the biggest local stage. In the 2023 Chibuku Super Cup final against Ngezi Platinum Stars, Chikona scored on a night when the pressure crushed more experienced players. For a brief moment, he looked like the next forward DeMbare would build around.
Then the momentum stalled.
The seasons that followed were unforgiving. Confidence dipped. Goals disappeared. Game time shrank. At a club where patience is thin and history heavy, Chikona slipped from promise to peripheral figure, fighting for relevance in a crowded dressing room.
By the time he turned 20, the capital had become a difficult place to breathe.
Last season, he walked away from Harare and followed Herbert Maruwa to TelOne, the coach who had trusted him with his Dynamos debut. It was meant to be a reset, a return to familiar ground and a quieter environment where his game could settle.
Instead, he arrived at Ascot Stadium with a problem waiting for him. Washington Navaya was in ruthless form, scoring freely and owning the No. 9 shirt. Chikona found himself watching again, this time from the bench in red and white.
Still, he stayed.
“When I moved to TelOne last season, it was all about restarting,” Chikona said. “I had faced a difficult time at Dynamos and thought to myself maybe if I reconnect with coach Maruwa, I can rebirth my career because we have a perfect understanding.”
Navaya’s departure at the end of the season has changed the landscape. TelOne suddenly need a leading striker. The goals that carried them last year have walked out of the door, and someone has to replace them.
Chikona sees the opening.
“My plan this year is to follow in his footsteps,” he said. “He scored a lot of goals for the team last season. I am ready to be the main man this time around and contribute to the success of the team.”
It will not be handed to him. TelOne have recruited Jerry Chipangura and Farai Matatu, and both are pushing for the same role. Training sessions have sharpened. Mistakes are punished quickly. Maruwa has made it clear that reputation will not decide the starting striker.
“It’s a difficult role to take up,” Chikona said, “but I am ready to fight and I’m hoping for the best for myself and the team.”
At 20, this feels like a crossroads rather than a comeback story. He has already seen how quickly football can turn. The courage that once defined his rise is now being asked a harder question, whether it can survive waiting, competition, and another season where excuses run out.
