Zim pair in make-or-break races

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S representatives in the World Athletics Under-20 Championships, Clinton Muunga and Samukeliso Ndebele, will this morning take to the field in make-or-break 200m races.

After performing below expectations on Day 1 of the championships on Wednesday in the 100m heat in which he finished last in a time of 10.79 seconds, Muunga has been forced to revisit his target heading into today’s race.

He is now eyeing a personal best.

The Matabeleland South-based athlete can save his pre-championships hope for a podium finish by doing well in the men’s 200m heat.

Muunga qualified for the global athletics meet with a personal best of 21.21 seconds and following his loss on Wednesday, he has now set his sights on bettering his time.

“What I want is a new personal best and if I achieve that I will be happy. Hopefully, I’ll qualify for the semi-finals, but now all I want is to be mentally stable and do my best in the 200m race,” said Muunga.

Muunga has the fifth personal best time in his heat, which includes Jamaica’s Bryan Levell (20.60s), Tarsis Orogot of Uganda (20.71s), Italy’s Federiico Guglielmi (20.98s), Jason Mango of Botswana (21.06s), Tomas Mondino from Argentina (21.24s) and Amr Hany Soliman of Egypt (21.33s).

Unlike Muunga, Ndebele will have to shake off stage fright as she pursues her dream.

Ndebele’s personal best in 200m is 25.74s and she will compete against Namibia’s Beatrice Masilingi (22.28s), Ivana Ilic of Serbia (23.62s), Polish sprinter Marta Zimna (23.76s), Tereza Lamacova of Czech Republic (24.01s), Sri Lanka’s Medhani Batuwanage (24.08s) and Slovakia’s Viktoria Forster (24.10s).

The top four in each heat will qualify for the semi-finals.

Lisimathi Phakamile, National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (Naaz) national director of coaching and talent identification development, believes the Zimbabweans are still capable of salvaging something in the Games.

“The two are among the best junior athletes in the country and their qualification for the World Athletics Under-20 Championships wasn’t by fluke. It’s unfortunate that their preparations were affected by lack of events because of the Covid-19 sports ban, but they can do better if they put their minds and energy into it. The experience that they will get by participating in the championships is invaluable and will shape their future,” said Phakamile. — @ZililoR