Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube, [email protected]
ONE of Zimbabwe’s fastest emerging sprinters, Methembe Tshuma, is at risk of missing a crucial qualifying window for the African Athletics Championships unless he raises US$400 to travel to South Africa within days.
The Mpopoma-based athlete, a former Sobukhazi High School student and African Junior Championships silver medallist, needs the money to compete in certified meets in Pretoria later this month. Without it, his carefully planned early season campaign, and his immediate national ambitions, could stall before they properly begin.
Tshuma specialises in the 100 metres and 200 metres and is also a strong starter in the 4x100m relay. Coaches rate his explosive take off and early acceleration as assets Zimbabwe has lacked in recent sprint relays, particularly at junior to senior transition level.
He underlined that promise on Saturday at the Wafawafa Athletics Championships at White City Stadium in Bulawayo, where he dominated both sprint events and anchored Zimbabwe’s depth in the men’s 4x100m by delivering a sharp opening leg in the final.
The Bulawayo meet served as a key ranking event for local athletes ahead of national team selections expected in the coming weeks. National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe officials have identified the early season competitions as part of a broader pathway toward international exposure, with an eye on building depth for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Tshuma plans to leave for South Africa by Wednesday next week to compete at the Engen Championships on February 21, followed by another meet at the University of Pretoria a week later. Both events are run on certified tracks with electronic timing and wind gauges, conditions required for African Championships qualification.
“These races give me a real chance,” Tshuma said after winning his 100m heat on Saturday. “My focus right now is the African Championships. That’s where I want to be, and that’s what I’ve been preparing for.”
Ghana is set to host the African Athletics Championships later this year, but qualification standards must be met at recognised competitions. Tshuma said the Pretoria races also offer a rare opportunity to measure himself against a deeper sprint field than he faces locally.
His problem is funding. Without sponsorship or private assistance, he may be forced to withdraw from the trip altogether.
“If I don’t get help, I won’t be able to go, and that would undo everything I’ve worked for since the start of the year,” he said. “I’m hoping someone will come through. I want to run on February 21, then again the following week at Tuks, and see if I can qualify in both the 100 and 200 metres.”
Another meet scheduled for February 28 in Pretoria would allow him to improve his times further and strengthen his case for selection, provided he can afford to stay on.
“I’m training hard and staying ready,” Tshuma said. “But my family can’t afford this, and that makes things difficult.”
Saturday’s races suggested his form is peaking at the right time. Tshuma said the difference was clear.
“The race felt better because I’m conditioned now,” he said.
His trajectory has not been smooth. At the African Junior Championships in Nigeria, Tshuma clocked 10.52 seconds in the 100m when finishing second in his heat, then suffered an injury before returning to anchor the 4x100m relay, where Zimbabwe claimed silver.
Earlier this year, he ran 10.70 seconds over 100 metres in Harare and 21.22 in the 200 metres. At White City on Saturday, he recorded unofficial times of 10.05 in the 100m and 20.70 in the 200m, performances that hint at significant improvement if backed by competition and support.
For now, his season, and possibly his place on the continental stage, hinges on a modest sum and the willingness of sponsors to notice a sprinter running out of time.
