Sundaymail Editor
Petros Kausiyo in DOHA, Qatar
ACE track and field star Chengatayi Mapaya has resorted to music to keep him relaxed ahead of his maiden appearance at the IAAF World Athletics Championships at the Khalifa International stadium in Doha Friday night.
The 20-year-old Texas Christian University triple jumper will take his bow at the biennial championships when competition starts at 6.25pm Zimbabwean time.
He will be trying to make it to the finals of a star-studded competition field that will feature some of his idols such as current World and Olympics champion Christian Taylor (18,21 metres) of the United States.
In order not to think much and avoid the nerves that come with anticipation ahead of such a top competition, Mapaya says he has resorted to listening to a lot of music.
“I am relaxed, I am not really focussed on the jumping itself at the moment. I am listening to a lot of music so that I do not stress over the competition. I am listening to all kinds of music particularly hip-hop.
“I have also been talking to some of the top athletes that I idolise and they have given me a lot of advice. It is actually special to be competing with my role models guys like Christian Taylor, Nelson Ivora, Will Clair and Pedro Pichardo,” Mapaya told the Sunday Mail Online.
Mapaya is also taking comfort from the fact that he is not in Doha by accident but secured his place after winning the NCAAA outdoor track and field championships at Texas University in June when leaping his personal best of 17,3m.
He was just a centimetre away from securing the Olympic qualifying standard of 17,4m but believes that he can still attain that between now and the 2020 Games in Tokyo, Japan.
“I have worked hard to come here and, of course, it is a special moment to be competing with the best and it is a humbling experience too.
“When I qualified for the World champs I just missed qualification for the Olympics by a centimetre so helpfully I can get that qualifying standard so that I can start focussing on the Olympics early.
“The guys that are here … these are the top athletes and this gives me a glimpse of what happens at the Olympics.
“For me and my coach the main thing is to go and have fun and I want to at least reach the finals and I am taking it step by step so today it is just about trying to qualify for the finals,” Mapaya said.
Online Reporter