Tinaye Agere
Online Reporter
TEAM Zimbabwe UK, an organisation led by sport enthusiast Marshal Gore, has been drumming up support for Zimbabwe’s sprinters Tapiwanashe Makarawu and Makanakaishe Charamba, who are making history at the Olympic Games in Paris, France.
Charamba and Makarawu qualified for the 200m final set for today at 8.30pm.
Gore and his team are in Paris and will watch tonight’s historic race.
“This is a solidarity visit meant to offer the athletes support,” said Gore.
“We had the chance to meet with Zimbabwe Olympic Committee officials, we gave them our support and we also donated some T-shirts to the athletes and staff.”
Charamba, who clocked 20.31s, was first on the track in semi-final Heat Two and came third behind Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo (19.96s) and United States of America’s Noah Lyles (20.08s).
Makarawu also came third in another Heat with a time of 20.16s.
USA’s Erriyon Knighton (20.09s) won that race, with Liberia’s Joseph Fahnbulleh (20.12s) coming second.
The Zimbabweans are now bracing for a historic race in the final.
Gore revealed that Team Zimbabwe UK has sourced some incentives for the two sprinters.
“We have also embarked on a mission to engage corporates in the diaspora to support the boys in the final, to incentivise them for the final push.
“We have managed to source some incentives, but the people who have come on board do not want to be named,” he said.
Gore has also been active in football circles.
In addition to campaigning to encourage Zimbabwean footballers born in the United Kingdom to turn out for the Warriors, he has also supported football development in Zimbabwe through youth football tournaments.
Online Reporter