Online Reporter
Petros Kausiyo in TOKYO, Japan
JOY and sorrow!
That sums up the feeling in the Zimbabwe team camp yesterday after Tapiwanashe Makarawu burst into the World Athletics Championships 200m final.
However, his teammate, Makanakainshe Charamba, just came short − ending up as the best of those who could not make the final.
Despite coming fourth in his men’s 200 metres semi-final Heat in a time of 19.98s, Makarawu squeezed his way into the final, scheduled for the same venue tonight.
Charamba came third in his race in 20.03s.
His time was the ninth best on the night but sadly, for the tall big sprinter, only eight could go through.
The stakes were so high that even Australian teenage speedster Gout Gout, one of the pre-race favourites, also missed out on a place in the final despite a strong semi-final run.
Makarawu’s heat, the second of the three men’ semi-finals, drew the loudest applause from the packed Japan National Stadium given its strong line-up which featured defending World champion Noah Lyles of the United States.
And, it lived up to its billing, becoming the fastest on the night in which the top four sealed half the slots in the final.
The other two slots were taken by Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo of Botswana, who came second in Heat 3 in 19.95s, and Jamaican Brayn Levell, who clocked 19.78s, the second fastest in the semi-finals.
As soon as the sprinters sped off the blocks and hit the bend, the stage was set for a lightning finish with Lyles, who clocked 19.51s, edging ahead of the pack. Team Zimbabwe head coach, Phakamile Lisimati, said:
“We wish Makarawu the best of luck, it is going to be a tight race in the final, he has been a shining star for us and he has given us hope and he continues to give us hope.
“It is going to be a tight race with Kyles and Letsile Tebogo but we hope he can correct one or two technical issues which we saw in his race tonight so that he can excel tomorrow and hopefully give us a podium finish.”
