Sundaymail Editor
Online Reporter
ZIMBABWE triple jump champion Chengetayi Mapaya has spent the better part of the last twelve months carrying emotional scars of his hamstring injury from last year’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Outdoor Track and Field Championship.
The Texas Christian University (TCU) senior tore his hamstring during the fourth attempt at last year’s meet at Hayward Field in Oregon, US, ending his quest to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.
What made this injury worse was the fact that he had been earmarked as one of the beneficiaries of the Olympic Scholarship slots, which later went to sprinter Ngoni Makusha and swimmers Donata Katai and Peter Wetzlar.
However, the 23-year-old now has a chance to change all that.
On Friday, he will be among favourites to take home gold in the triple jump event at this year’s NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship, which again will be held in Oregon.
The annual meet, which began on Wednesday and runs until Saturday, will be Mapaya’s last as a TCU student, and he hopes to make it count.
“Last year, at the same event, I tore my hamstring and this is more of redemption for me,” said Mapaya.
“I am happy with how the year has played out. Everything is coming into place as I look to have peaked at the right time, and I am injury-free.
“There is no special plan except to go out there to win the outdoor championships and maybe break a few records.”
The NCAA outdoor triple jump record also happens to be the only record missing from his trophy cabinet.
“I have been winning trophies and breaking records during my time at TCU and the NCAA outdoor record is the only one missing.
“I hope to change that tomorrow (Friday).”
The athlete is part of a 25-member TCU team that also includes two other Zimbabweans – sprinters
Tinotenda Matiyenga and Kundai Maguranyanga.
While Mapaya is expected to compete in the triple jump event, Matiyenga is registered for the 200 metres and 4×100-metre relay events.
Matiyenga, Maguranyanga, Robert Gregory and Bryson Stubblefield form Texas Christian University’s 4x100m relay team.
Online Reporter