Online Reporter
Petros Kausiyo in TOKYO, Japan
IT just didn’t go to plan for Tapiwanashe Makarawu in the World Athletics Championships men’s 200-metre final, but Zimbabwe’s sprint king still walked away proud of his performance on the sport’s biggest stage.
Drawn against a field stacked with global stars, Makarawu clocked 20,12 seconds to finish seventh. The race was dominated by the United States’ Noah Lyles, who claimed his fourth world title in 19,52 seconds. Fellow American Kenneth Bednarek took silver in 19,58, while Jamaica’s Bryan Levell earned bronze in 19,64.
The showdown at Japan’s National Stadium had been billed as a clash between Lyles and Botswana’s Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo. However, Tebogo — still regaining fitness after injury — settled for fourth in 19,65, a season’s best.
For Zimbabwe, all eyes were on Makarawu, the national record holder at 19,84 seconds, who had impressed with 19,91 and 19,98 in his heats and semi-final. Yet on the night, he was unable to replicate those times.
“First of all, I want to thank God for the opportunity to race in this final. Not many great athletes made it to the final, and for me to have been part of those competing is a great honour. But in this race, I just felt tired. It has been a long season.
“I am not offering any excuses, but I have been racing at college for months while some of my colleagues had time to rest. It was a tight race out there full of quality, and I am still happy to have finished seventh. I will now go back, take a deserved break, and then try to come back stronger and keep pushing,” Makarawu said.
Makarawu admitted that the shift from lane seven in the semis to lane three in the final made little difference.
“There wasn’t much of a change and, in any case, we all still ran the same 200m, so I accept the result. Like I said, I thank God for being able to compete in this final.”
He and fellow 200m sprinter Makanakaishe Charamba, along with team physiotherapist and former national sprinter Lewis Banda, return to their United States bases today and tomorrow.
Zimbabwe’s entire squad can reflect on a positive campaign. Seasoned marathoner Isaac Mpofu set the tone with a 10th-place finish earlier in the week, while four athletes — Ashley Miller, Vimbayi Maisvorewa, Tendai Zimuto, and Charamba — made their World Championships debuts.
Miller competed in the 400m hurdles and Maisvorewa in the 400m flat, both bowing out in the heats. Zimuto endured a tough marathon, placing 61st.
Team leader and National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe director of coaching and talent identification, Phakamile Lisimati, praised the group’s effort.
“I think these games were quite good for the athletes. They impressed in their outings and did their best. It is unfortunate that we did not have all our sprinters in the final, but I think it is an important turn in Zimbabwean athletics.”
Lisimati said the focus now shifts to the World Relays in Botswana in February and the African Senior Championships in Ghana next year.
“We can start and aim for the medals now that our athletes have had a feel of the World Championships, which are different from the Olympics and any other competitions. Generally, the World Champs were a very good stepping stone for the eight who came here. We can only build from here.
“In the African Games, Ashley got us a medal and we believe the sprinters will make podium performances, as well as our relays and mixed relays. There is no marathon at the African Senior Championships.”
