Online Reporter
Ellina Mhlanga-Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe have lauded history-making top sprinter Makanakaishe Charamba for an impressive season that saw him claiming a podium finish at the Wanda Diamond League final in Brussels, Belgium at the weekend.
Charamba delivered a brilliant performance in Brussels, clocking 19.99 seconds to cap his Diamond League season with a bronze medal on Saturday night.
He became the first Zimbabwean athlete to reach the final of the series that attracts the world’s top athletes.
Crucially, Charamba also punched his ticket to the 2027 World Athletics Championships set for Beijing in China.
NAAZ director of coaching, talent identification and development Phakamile Lisimati could not hide his joy as Charamba continued to impress on the international stage.
“We are very impressed as a nation.
“Personally, as a coach, am so happy for his performance. He has been running consistently throughout the year.
“He has been putting a lot of effort in representing us on the podium in the Diamond League.
“And for him to perform and be on the podium at the final Diamond League is quite a feat and an impressive performance for Zimbabwe.
“We want to say congratulations to that.
Charamba delivered a brilliant performance in Brussels, clocking 19.99 seconds to cap his Diamond League season with a bronze medal on Saturday night.
“We have never had any Zimbabwean athlete performing at the Diamond League finals. We are quite happy and we want to congratulate him,” said Lisimati.
Going into the weekend’s final, Charamba had posted several impressive performances in the series.
But on Saturday, he went all out to finish third, competing alongside Olympic silver medallist Kenneth Bednarek, who won the race in 19.62 seconds.
South Africa’s Sinesipho Dambile was second in 19.89 seconds.
Charamba’s performance comes at a time when the World Athletics Championships qualification window for track and events is now open.
And his 19.99 seconds earns him the ticket to next year’s global meet in Beijing, China.
The qualifying time for men’s 200m is 20.07 seconds.
“We are so excited about his performance. We know he can better that time. Although you have seen that the window is open and the qualification, he has already hit the qualification time for the World Championships in Beijing.
“So, we have already counted him in.”
Charamba was an Olympic finalist in 2024 in Paris, France.
He went on to represent the country at last year’s World Championships in Tokyo, reaching the semi-final stage.
And the 24-year-old Zimbabwean sprinter continues to establish himself among the world’s top athletes.
He is one of Team Zimbabwe’s hopefuls for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games and is one of the nine athletes who received the Olympic Solidarity Scholarships through the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee across four sport codes.
Lisimati believes Charamba’s exploits on the international stage will inspire more athletes and would want to see more Zimbabwean athletes taking part in the Diamond League.
“We are hoping that all our other top Zimbabwean athletes will soon join him at that stage.
“It is quite an inspirational time and a motivating time for all athletes, all coaches in the country that we have a Zimbabwean athlete, we have a Zimbabwean-born boy, representing us at the top level,” said Lisimati.
Next stop: Budapest
Charamba is also expected to be part of the field at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship this weekend in Budapest, Hungary.
“I am sure Maka will do his best and also get to the final. We wish him luck as an association and we are keeping our fingers crossed for a very good performance by him.”
NAAZ president Tendayi Tagara is also a happy man seeing Charamba put the country on the world map.
Tagara is confident, the 24-year-old will stand his own in Budapest, at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship.
“Great performance,” Tagara said.
“First Zimbabwean in Diamond final and competing at the international circuit has pushed his ranking.
“It reflects that he is now a professional, constant good performances, guaranteed of a slot in Beijing.
“He will take them all the way to the finals in Budapest.”
NAAZ are targeting to increase their contingent to the next World Championships to 10 and with the 4×400 men’s relay team and Charamba already securing their tickets Zimbabwe remain on course to achieve that feat.
