Online Reporter
Ellina Mhlanga-Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE Africa Senior Athletics Championships are currently underway in Accra, Ghana and for Zimbabwe, the target is an improvement from the previous edition in terms of the medal haul.
Zimbabwe are fielding track athletes only and among the events they are hoping they could reap a medal from is the 4x400m men’s relay.
After an outstanding performance at the World Relays in Botswana, two weeks ago, the men’s 4x400m relay team consisting of Gerren Muwishi, Dennis Hove, Thandazani Ndhlovu and Leeford Zuze is part of Team Zimbabwe that is in Accra.
The team attracted a lot of interest after a top five finish at the World Relays in Botswana.
They became the first team from Zimbabwe to reach the finals at the global relays’ competition and secured a spot at next year’s World Athletics Championships in Beijing, China.
Athletics coach Mavhuto Tumba, who also works with Hove at Trackmasters club is upbeat that the team is in a good position for another outstanding show at the continental meet in Ghana.
The 4x400m relay heats are scheduled for today and the final tomorrow, which is also is the championships’ last day of competition.
“In terms of the Africa Senior Championships, from my side of view, I am seeing these guys bringing a medal from Africa Senior Championships.
“I have been trying to check on their performance, they were doing well and, with the experience that they gained at the World Stage, I believe to get a medal at the Africa Senior Champs is something which is not going to be difficult for them as long as they are not going to give themselves pressure,” said Tumba.
On their way to qualifying for the final, they set a national record of 2 minutes 59.01 seconds.
And the performance has seen the team being ranked among the medal hopefuls for Zimbabwe at the ongoing African Championships.
“They have to just do what they did in Gaborone so that they bring back a medal.
“In Gaborone, they managed to break another record like what I was expecting,” said Tumba.
Besides the relay event, Ndhlovu, Zuze and Hove are also participating in the 400m event, and they all pulled through to the semi-finals on Tuesday, the first day of competition.
With the ticket to the World Championships for the relay event already in the bag, most of the team members will take some time to focus on pursuing qualification in the individual events going forward.
Tumba added that the build-up to Beijing begins now and called on stakeholders to support the team so that they are in a better position to perform at the World Championships.
“I think the best thing for these guys to be able to get to Beijing and perform better is if we are going to have more people who are going to support in terms of financial support, and also if we are going to have more camps.
“Most of the time they don’t have camps. It’s something that we need.
We need serious camps,” emphasised Tumba.
With their top sprinters Makanakaishe Charamba and Tapiwanashe Makarawu in Ghana, the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe are also fielding a 4x100m relay team at the Africa Championships.
Makarawu and Charamba will be joined by Methembe Tshuma and Ngoni Makusha to make up the 4x100m relay team.
The idea is to have at least two relay teams in Beijing for the World Championships and the campaign for qualification begins now.
