adminPhineas Mukwazo in Beijing, China
YOUNG Tatenda Tsumba bowed out of the IAAF World Championships at the first hurdle when he finished seventh out of nine athletes in Heat 2 of the 200M men’s sprint in perfect weather conditions at the iconic Bird’s Nest Stadium here yesterday. Evidently overawed by the occasion and running in the first lane, the United States-based 24-year-old Tsumba clocked 21,21 seconds well outside his season’s best time of 20,46s. The youngster could have used the Championships to qualify for next year’s Olympic Games in Brazil had he run within the qualifying time of 20,50s.
The heat was won by Panama’s Alonso Edward in 20,11s.
World sprint king Usain Bolt of Jamaica and the United States’ Justin Gatlin are set for another gigantic showdown in tomorrow’s 200m final after coming through their heats.
Tsumba’s departure means Zimbabwe now pins its remote hopes for a medal on Olivia Chitate, who takes part in round one of the 5 000m today.
Zimbabwe’s representatives in the marathon that took place on the first day of the tournament stood their ground in hot and treacherous conditions in which 26 out of 68 runners failed to finish the 42km event.
Among the runners that failed to make it to the finishing line were Kenya’s world record holder Dennis Kimetto and former record holder Wilson Kiprang.
Cuthbert Nyasango finished a credible 23rd, clocking 2 hours, 22 minutes 5 seconds, while Cephas Pasipamire was 30th in 2:25:05, which were their season’s best times.
Gilbert Mutandiro came home in 37th position in 2:31:35.
Nyasango could not beat his national record of 2 hours 9 minutes that he set in Prague, Czech Republic, in May.
“It was a tough day for everyone as it was hot and humid. The weather just changed on the day of the race. The fact that our athletes managed to finish the marathon in such treacherous conditions was commendable. In fact, what even made it tough for them is that they had little time to acclimatise as they arrived a day or two before the race,’’ said Zimbabwe coach Pakamile Lisimati.
Meanwhile, Kenya and Ethiopia bagged three gold medals for Africa yesterday in the 400m men’s hurdles, 800m men’s final and 1 500m women’s final.
Kenya’s Nicholas Bett won the 400m hurdles in this year’s best time of 47,79 seconds, beating Denis Kudryavtsev (48,05s) of Russia and Jeffery Gibson (48,17s) of Bahrain.
Kenya bagged their second gold through usual suspect David Rudisha in the 800m.
Ethiopia’s gold medal came from Genzebe Dibaba in the 1500M women’s final. She clocked 4 minutes 08,09 seconds to beat Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon (4:08,96).
Online Reporter