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Ellina Mhlanga Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S Panashe Nhenga made an early exit at the ongoing World Athletics Under-20 Championships when he finished on position seven in the men’s 100m heats on the first day of the competition.
The championships got underway on Monday in Santiago de Cali, Colombia, and are running until Saturday.
Zimbabwe are fielding two athletes – Nhenga and Denzel Simusialela, who is competing in the men’s 200m event today.
Nhenga was the first in the competition on Monday evening, Zimbabwean time, in the men’s 100m and he came seventh in 10.86seconds, in heat two of the eight heats that were lined up for the day. It was below his personal best of 10.57seconds.
The first two from each heat and the next eight fastest qualified for the semi-final that was scheduled for yesterday.
Overall Nhenga was ranked 49 out of 60 athletes that took part.
National youth and junior coach Briad Nhubu, who travelled with the athletes to Colombia, admitted it was a tough day for Nhenga but said he did his best.
“He was in heat two of eight and actually he did his best in terms of performance because, looking at the heat in which he was and overall, the whole competition, he seems to be the youngest athlete in the championships.
“However, he tried his best in terms of performance. Yes, he failed to meet his personal best but generally that was the situation with most of the athletes who competed on day one.
“They didn’t manage to meet their personal best, the whole group that competed in 100m, nobody managed to beat his or her personal best. And also this affected Panashe Nhenga because his time was far below his personal best,” said Nhubu.
Simusialela is up for the 200m event today.
Nhubu said they are hoping for he can run his personal best.
“Looking at Denzel we expect him to put up his best performance. Of course we are saying the competition is stiff but he is prepared to put up his best. And basically if he will also fight to push his personal best that would be one thing which will really be good.
“But, however, regardless of whatever the result, we are still very happy because the athletes are in high morale. They are prepared to participate, rubbing shoulders with some of the great athletes in the world. It’s a really big achievement for them.
“They are going to actually learn a lot that will assist them as they grow in the system of competitions and if they continue to work very hard, I think one day they will also be on the podium.
“So basically that’s what we expect seeing these athletes running their personal best and also possibly pushing to the subsequent round. That would be a very big achievement,” said Nhubu.
The two were included in the team that represented the country at the Africa Senior Championships in June, in Mauritius as part of their build-up to the World Under-20 Championships.
And Simusialela was part of the 4x100m relay team that won a bronze medal at the continental meet.
Online Reporter