Online Reporter
Ellina Mhlanga
Zimpapers Sports Hub
TOP Zimbabwe sprinter Thandazani Ndhlovu says his team have now set their sights on making a mark at the upcoming World Relays after they sealed their place with a major climb up the global rankings.
The men’s 4x400m relay team sprinted their way to glory in Gaborone, Botswana last Saturday night to move 11 places up the rankings ladder and ease into 13th place on the Top List.
They put on a solid performance at the Lefika International Relays in Botswana that saw them lowering their time from 3 minutes 03.42 seconds to 3 minutes 00.69 seconds.
Zimbabwe went into the crucial race in Gaborone under immense pressure as they precariously sat on the last qualifying spot — position 24 — ahead of the World Relays slated for May 2 and 3 in Botswana.
They needed to improve their time if they were to be guaranteed a place at the world stage, and the quartet of Gerren Muwishi, Leeford Zuze, Dennis Hove and Ndhlovu lived up to expectations.
They followed up on their fine performance the previous weekend, albeit in difficult weather conditions in Lesotho by racing to a new Zimbabwe 4x 400m record.
“The team’s progress has been incredible and our recent national record is a testament to our dedication and teamwork,’’ Ndhlovu said.
“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 that with more time to prepare for the World Relays together, Zimbabwe could eventually 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 was happy to note the team’s rapid rise into safety.
“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.
“And looking at what we have gone through, looking at the road trips . . . We have gone to Maseru and come back from Maseru within a period of five days.
“Our team drove again from Harare to Gaborone by road. All these trips were by road. And the boys still managed to improve and better the time.
“They are going to perform at the World Relays,” Lisimati said.
Zimbabwe also had a mixed 4x100m competing at the Lefika Relays and they placed sixth in 42.97 seconds.
The performance earned the team a 27th-place ranking on the Top List.
However, their ranking fell just outside the qualification frame.
But for Lisimati, fielding the mixed relay for the first time was also key, and they hope to build on that going forward.
“What quite impresses me mostly is the fact that this is our maiden appearance, our maiden team, the first ever Zimbabwe has set and sent to a competition, to perform and race in the mixed 4×100 relay.
“We are happy as a team that we have started the ball rolling, we have set it rolling,” said Lisimati.
Botswana will stage the World Relays, which are being held on African soil for the first time.
