Online Reporter
Ellina Mhlanga
Zimpapers Sports Hub
ECHOES of schoolyard cheers are now reverberating on some of the world’s grandest tracks.
From dusty primary school fields to the gleaming Olympic lanes of Paris, a new wave of Zimbabwean athletes is charging ahead, faster, stronger and more confident than ever before. Their journey, though, did not begin with state-of-the-art facilities or deep pockets.
It began with a deliberate, focused strategy by the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (NAAZ), and it is starting to pay off.
Over the past few years, Zimbabwean athletics has witnessed a quiet, but steady revolution. No longer just participants on the global stage, the athletes are now contenders, challenging, qualifying and even making finals alongside the world’s best.
From sprinters Tapiwanashe Makarawu and Makanakaishe Charamba to Vimbayi Maisvorewa and triple jumper Chengetayi Mapaya, the upward trajectory is undeniable. Long-distance specialist Isaac Mpofu has earned respect with top-10 finishes at major marathons and the World Championships, while silver medals for Makarawu and Mapaya at last year’s Africa Senior Championships signalled a shift in competitive stature.
But nothing screamed “arrival” louder than the sight of Makarawu and Charamba powering into the men’s 200m finals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
It was a defining moment, not just for the athletes, but for Zimbabwean sport as a whole.
What is behind this resurgence?
According to NAAZ president Tendayi Tagara, it is all part of a deliberate strategy that begins at the very root: the school system.
“In our development plan, we are focusing on the cadets, the role of NAPH (National Association of Primary Heads), the role of NASH (National Association of Secondary Heads),” said Tagara.
“That relationship is key. NASH and NAPH prepare competition platforms for us, completely free of charge. That access allows us to identify talent early and keep them in a training and competing cycle that’s essential for athletic development.
“We cannot do without NAPH. We cannot do without NASH. Athletics is train, compete, train, compete.”
This grassroots-to-global pipeline has seen promising athletes progress from NAPH and NASH events to regional and international youth championships.
Makarawu, for instance, rocketed through cadet, youth and junior levels, maturing early into a sprinter capable of Olympic finals.
So far, five Zimbabwean athletes have secured qualification for this year’s World Championships. These are: Makarawu, Charamba, Maisvorewa, Mpofu and Tendai Zimuto.
A number of other athletes, like David Nyamufarira, are on a fast-track trajectory.
“Makarawu and Maisvorewa came through the youth and junior ranks,” said Tagara. “They were captured early in the school system, and we want to acknowledge that both NASH and NAPH played a big role. At every level, primary, secondary, they contributed to what those athletes are today.”
Last year, eight junior athletes qualified for the World Athletics Under-20 Championships. Four made the trip to Lima, Peru, including Nyamufarira, who is now on a scholarship at New Mexico Junior College in the United States.
There, he clocked a remarkable 10.01 seconds in the 100m, just a year out of high school.
“It’s a good indication that the junior development programme is working,” said Tagara. “These are early developers, and they’re progressing quickly into elite performance. Next year, David will be running in the World Relays.”
Tagara highlighted how US scholarships have been a game-changer for local athletes, offering access to better facilities, medical support and a structured training environment.
“The athletes at least have peace of mind in terms of their training,” he said. “They’ve got basic requirements, medical, nutrition and transport, covered. That’s the advantage of scholarships.”
Still, NAAZ is not leaving development to foreign institutions.
The association has worked hard to build internal capacity by investing in coaching and officiating. That includes running certification courses, especially targeted at school-level coaches, who are often the first to identify and shape budding talent.
NAAZ’s director of coaching Lisimati Phakamile believes these efforts are beginning to show real impact.
“We’re quite excited about the positives coming from our developmental plans,” he said. “We’ve been building our coaches scientifically. We’ve gone through countless training sessions and competitions at national, junior, regional and Southern Region levels, including COSSASA (Confederation of Schools Sports Association of Southern Africa).
“This cooperation and exposure have helped us groom these athletes into what we’re seeing now.”
But the vision does not end there.
“Our goal is to produce world-class athletes, to be the best sports association in Zimbabwe. We want to provide quality performance, send podium-performing athletes to major events and give them every opportunity to express their talent,” said Phakamile.
That includes maintaining a consistent presence at World Championships, where Zimbabwe is now gradually becoming a recognised force, not just a participant.
“Developing and producing a podium-performing athlete is not a one-day thing,” Phakamile added. “It can take three to four years, sometimes longer. But the key is consistency.
“We’re sticking to our strategic goals, more coaching courses, more competitions and more athlete participation from grassroots to senior level.”
It is a long game, but the scoreboard is finally tilting in Zimbabwe’s favour.
The days of Zimbabwean athletes watching from the sidelines are ending. Thanks to a structured approach rooted in early identification, meaningful partnerships with schools, international exposure and sustained local effort, the country is scripting a new chapter in athletics, one where its best do not just compete; they contend.
As the track lights beam down on finals across the globe, more and more Zimbabwean names are being called out.
Online Reporter