Tshuma eyes training with Letsile Tebogo

Lovemore Dube

“MY dream is to train with Letsile Tebogo, he is a great athlete who inspires me. All I am doing is to get to train with him and be better.”

These were the words of Methembe Tshuma on Monday, a day after returning from Botswana where he took part in the Gaborone Golden Grand Prix.

It was a great trip in which he won both the 100 and 200m sprints in times that qualified him for the African Senior Championships.

But the 20-year-old does not want to get carried away, he wants to do better with the World Championships and Olympic Games hot on his list of wants.

“I had a close shave with him. I saw him at close range, and all that was in my mind is that I want to train with him at Nike Club in Botswana. I want to be a better athlete, who runs at prestigious events and I am prepared to work harder and in the next Botswana race I want to do better.

“As an athlete, I can only speak better by running better time. So, going there if I manage to get sponsorship will enable me to better the efforts that I have put in,” said Tshuma.

Last weekend, Tshuma ran 10.22 seconds in the 100m and followed that up with a 20.26 seconds 200m.
Both times are within the African Senior Championships qualifying standards.

Tshuma’s 10.22 seconds is the 85th best time in the world and second among Zimbabweans to Tapiwanashe Makarawu’s 10.21 seconds, which has him 74th overall in the world.

His 20.26 seconds is the 11th best time on the outdoor scene this year.

Denzil Siamusalela’s 20.47 seconds has him on number 30 in the world as the outdoor season gets into the groove.
Zimbabwe athletes continue to make a mark in the world with impressive performances on the track.
Tshuma says he draws inspiration from Makarawu, Makanakaishe Charamba and Siamusalela.

“They are my heroes and I believe they are also inspiring dozens of fellow Zimbabweans in the sport. My dream is to get to their levels. Both Charamba and Makarawu have been to the Olympics and World Championships, I want to run at that level too,” said Tshuma whose mixed 4x100m relay team will run at the World Relays in early May.