Spotlight on Paris-bound athletes

ZIMBABWE will be represented by a field of quality athletes at this year’s Paris Olympics, a select group that can cause a stir.

Judging from the build up and the way they have qualified and benchmarks set, it will not be a surprise if they go beyond expectations and set new milestones.

Winning gold is every athlete’s dream and Zimbabwe has in the few athletes that have qualified, personnel that could make it to the top 10 in the road and track events.

Leading the charge is marathon runner, Isaac Mpofu a bronze medalist at the African Games in March and a position sixth athlete in the Boston Marathon last month.

His one hour three minutes effort in Ghana showed glimpses of what the nation can expect from the man. Hardly a month after the 21,1km in the African Games in Accra, Mpofu of the Zimbabwe Republic Police was back in business running a two hours eight minutes marathon in Boston, chopping off six minutes from his time last year in which he finished in the top 20.

Both the Boston and African Games had a world class field with East and Central African athletes who have been a dominant force in marathon running. He has had good measure of his potency.

Mpofu qualified in 2022 and the qualifying standard for men over 42,2km is two hours eight minutes.

Tapiwanashe Makarawu quietly ran the second best indoor 200m time of 20.29 seconds early in the year and season. Those were warning shorts of a great season on the way.

Two weeks ago, he proved that his early season signs were not a fluke, with a mouthwatering 19.93 seconds effort in the 200m, becoming the first Zimbabwean to break the 20-second barrier over the distance. He beat Brian Dzingai’s 20.05 seconds record of 20 years ago.

His time was at the weekend the fifth best time of the season, not far off the very best of 19.67 held by Kenneth Bednarek of the US posted on Friday.

Makanakaishe Charamba blasted to a 20-second 200m race time to qualify for the Olympics alongside Mpofu and Makarawu. It is sweet news that should also seek to spur the lads to doing even better in that Charamba’s time was at the weekend the eighth best this season.

Barring injury and poor tactics towards the Olympics in Paris, the semi-finals look a reality for both and a slot in the final will be a bonanza and thereafter anything can happen as tension has seen some of the best from Jamaica and US false start.

Vimbayi Maisvoreveyi whose 52.00 seconds set on 13 April is now the national record is close to the 51.95 seconds qualifying time for the 400m in the women’s category.

In the men’s 400m, Takudzwa Chiyangwa has run 45.47 seconds, 0.47 seconds outside the qualifying time of 45.00 seconds.

Rutendo Nyahora whose best in the marathon qualifying window was two hours 32 minutes before receiving a wild card invite, is also part of the athletics contingent that has so far made it.

Ashley Miller and Clinton Muunga are also within a shout depending on how they fare in future track and field events.