Mguni hails Paul Madzivire

Championships at Boston in Massachusetts, United States.
Madzivire won the men’s long jump event with a leap of 7.67 metres on the first day of the two-day competition last Friday.
Mguni said the victory was a positive development for the young athlete and the nation at large.
“Obviously we view it as a very positive development from an athlete’s perspective and we are very excited,” said Mguni.
The ZOC boss said although Madzivire’s winning jump did not meet the qualifying standard for the 2012 London Olympic Games, he still has the chance to qualify for the world’s biggest sporting showcase which will run from July 27 to August 12.
“In terms of qualifying (for the Olympic Games), the qualification standard for an A standard is 8.2 metres and for the B standard is 8.1 metres and his 7.67metres doesn’t fall in that bracket.
“But it doesn’t mean that he hasn’t the potential to qualify. He still has time and the opportunity to qualify for the Olympic Games.
“There are still wildcards which will be allocated in June and we hope that if we are allocated some of the wildcards his national association can nominate him,” said Mguni.
The ZOC chief executive said Madzivire has a bright future ahead of him.
“Not only is he a medal hopeful but he has a bright future ahead of him and obviously we now got him on our radar and we are definitely going to communicate with him through our development office and see what are his plans.
“If he has the intention to qualify we will help him as we are helping other athletes who are in the qualifying process,” said Mguni.
The ZOC chief executive also said it will be good for the nation if Madzivire qualifies for the London 2012 Games as the maximum number of athletes for long jump is three per country and so far Ngonidzashe Makusha is the only athlete who has qualified from Zimbabwe. Ngoni Makusha qualified with 8.14m last year and it is a tough going.
“The maximum number of athletes in this event is three and it will be good to have a second athlete.
“He (Madzivire) has done extremely well. We had his name on our long list, Ngoni told us about him last year when he came here.
“Unfortunately qualification doesn’t necessarily come because you have won a gold medal at some events. It has to go with the qualifying standards that are there or wildcards.
There is no doubt that he will be included on the longlist,” said Mguni. Zimbabwe is hoping to send a bigger team to the Olympic Games in London.
So far seven athletes — track and field star Makusha, long-distance runners Cuthbert Nyasango, Wirimayi Zhuwawo and Gilbert Mutandiro, star swimmer Kirsty Coventry, rowers Micheen Thorncroft and Jamie Fraser Mckenzie — have qualified for the London Olympics.