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Collin Matiza
ZIMBABWEAN female sprinter Vimbayi Maisvorewa reached for the stars at Auburn University where she once again grabbed the headlines by qualifying for the NCAA Outdoors finals in the United States at the weekend.
Maisvorewa, who is on an athletics scholarship at Auburn University, punched her ticket during the final day of competition at the NCAA East Preliminaries at Kentucky Track & Field Complex at Lexington in Kentucky, United States, on Saturday.
The four-day meet saw Auburn qualify six individuals and one relay on the men’s side and five individuals on the women’s side.
According to reports from Kentucky, Maisvorewa, who earned all-America honours in the 400m indoors earlier this year, ran a lifetime best of 51.43 to win her heat and gain an automatic qualifying spot for the nationals. Her time was the third fastest in AU history and has only been bettered by Joanna Atkins in 2009 and school record holder Juliet Campbell in 1993.
Another Zimbabwean athlete, who is on an athletics scholarship at Auburn University, junior Makanakaishe Charamba, was also on fire as he set the 200m record in 19.95.
He was emulated by Auburn freshman Marley Raikiwasa broke a school record in the discus and qualified for NCAA Outdoors.
Raikiwasa qualified for nationals after her first throw inside the ring with a new school record toss of 57.42m/188-5, breaking the previous mark held by teammate Maura Huwalt set last year. The Australian native’s mark was good enough for fourth place overall while becoming the second Auburn freshman in program history to advance in the event, joining Katalin Mate in 2006.
Freshman Deborah Oke, who set the school freshman record two days earlier in the 400m first round, bettered that time during Saturday’s quarter-finals, running 51.18 to finish 15th, narrowly missing NCAA qualifying contention.
Raikiwasa and Oke’s school records were not the only Auburn marks to fall during the east preliminaries. Junior Favor Ashe broke his own 100m record while equalling the nation’s fastest time in 9.94, while Charamba set the 200m record in 19.95. Kanyisola Ajayi meanwhile tied the Tigers’ freshman record in the 100m with a PB of 10.03.
The women’s foursome of Oke, Maisvorewa, Ashantae Harvey, and Lalah Hasbrouck made a valiant effort in the 4x400m relay, posting a 3:31.57, the seventh fastest time in Auburn history and the best time by the program in 13 years, but unfortunately missed nationals by one place.
The Tigers will be well represented in Eugene, Oregon in two weeks with a total of 13 individuals and one relay competing at the top collegiate meet in the country.
On the men’s side, Auburn qualified Ajayi (100m), Ashe (100m), Charamba (200m), Michael May (decathlon), Matthew Rueff (shot put), Keyshawn Strachan (javelin), and Ja’Kobe Tharp (110m Hurdles) along with the 4x100m relay.
Qualifiers for the Tiger women include Paula Grauvogel (heptathlon), Megan Hague (shot put), Shaniya Holley (javelin), Maisvorewa (400m), Raikiwasa (discus) and Alyssa Quinones-Mixon (pole vault).
The 2024 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships will be held from June 5-8 at historic Hayward Field on the University of Oregon campus.
On Friday, the Auburn men’s track and field team broke two school records, equalled another, and had four individuals and one relay qualify for the NCAA outdoor championships during the third day of the NCAA East Preliminaries.
Favour Ashe, Charamba, and Kanyinsola Ajayi all wrote their names in the school record books while each punching tickets to the outdoor championships at Eugene, Oregon in two weeks.
Ashe broke his school record in the 100m dash, equalling the nation’s top time and breaking the facility record, crossing in 9.94, to earn his third trip to the NCAAs. Running in the same heat and lane next to Ashe, Ajayi tied a 16-year-old school freshman record as the first-year Tiger was second overall in 10.03.
A transfer from Division II Carson-Newman, Charamba from Zimbabwe broke Auburn great and Olympian Coby Miller’s 200m school record set in 2000, running a 19.95 with a strong last 150m to take fourth overall. The Division II NCAA champion a year ago at 100m and 200m, Charamba earned his first trip to outdoor championships at the highest level.
Online Reporter