Online Reporter
Ellina Mhlanga
Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE men’s 4x400m relay team member Thandazani Ndhlovu says they have now set their eyes on the forthcoming World Relays as Zimbabwe moved up the ladder to occupy position 13 on the Top List.
This follows a solid performance at the Lefika International Relays in Botswana that saw the team lowering their time from 3 minutes 03.42 seconds to 3 minutes 00.69 seconds.
Zimbabwe went into the race held this past weekend on the edge, ranked 24, which is the final spot for qualification to the World Relays slated for May 2 and 3 in Botswana.
They needed to improve their time if they were to be guaranteed of a spot at the world stage and the quartet of Ndhlovu, Gerren Muwishi, Leeford Zuze and Dennis Hove did just that.
The team has provisionally secured a spot to the meet.
“The team’s progress has been incredible, and our recent national record is a testament to our dedication and teamwork.
“We are thrilled to be ranked 13th globally. But our eyes are firmly on the World Relays.”
“This is just the beginning – our goal is to build momentum and make a statement on the international stage.
“Achieving a comfortable spot on the Top List was our first milestone, and now we are setting our sights on World Championship qualification,” said Ndhlovu.
The qualification window is closing on Sunday, and will be followed by the release of the final list by the World Athletics on April 7.
In their pursuit of a better time to secure a ticket to the World Relays, the team also set a new national record.
“As a team member, I am bursting with pride at what we have achieved. We weren’t even chasing a national record, we were focused on securing a solid position, and it paid off. Now, we are hungry for more.”
The Bulawayo-based athlete believes with more time to prepare for the World Relays together as a team they can achieve more.
“To gear up for the World Relays, I strongly believe a four-week camp on a standard track would be a game-changer.
“We need to fine-tune our baton exchanges, which are crucial to our success. Our recent performance showed flashes of brilliance. But we know we can execute with precision. With targeted training, I am convinced we can crack the top eight and make Zimbabwe proud,” Ndhlovu said.
National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe director of coaching, talent identification and development Phakamile Lisimati said:
“It’s quite good news that we are safely in the rankings. We continue to prepare hard for the main competition where we seek to better our performance from the previous performance in China. I am very much impressed by the improvement in the time.”
