Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube,Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE Zimbabwe duo of Tapiwanashe Makarawu and Makanakaishe Charamba shone in the World Athletics Championships men’s 200m heats in Tokyo, Japan on Wednesday.
Running in Heat Two, Makarawu, the national record holder in the 200m with a time of 19.84 seconds clocked earlier this year in the US, was first with a sumptuous 19.91 seconds, the second best to Brian Levell’s 19.84.
His time was faster than that of favourites Kenneth Bednarek of the US who clocked 19.98 to win Heat Three and top seed Noah Lyles home in 19.99 in Heat Four and Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo who timed in 20.18 seconds in a weak Heat 6.
Charamba was second in Heat Five with a time of 20.06 seconds to head to the semi-finals.
World 400m record holder Wayde Van Niekerk is also through to the semi-finals which promise fireworks and Zimbabweans are holding their breaths hoping the pair of Makarawu and Charamba repeat their Paris Olympics feat in which they reached the final, the first time the country had more than one athlete in the event.
Brian Dzingai finished fourth in the 2008 final at the Beijing Olympics.
Semi-finals
HEAT 1: Alexander Ogando (20.10s), Wayde Van Niekerk (20.19s), Timothe Mumenthaler (20.39s)
HEAT 2: Tapiwanashe Makarawu (19.91s), Courtney Lindsey (19.95s), Adrian Kerr (20.13s)
HEAT 3: Kenneth Bednarek (19.98s), Udodi Chudi Onwuzurike (20.27s), Sinesipho Dambile (20.27s)
HEAT 4: Noah Lyles (19.99s), Zharnel Hughes (20.07s), Christopher Taylor (20.26s)
HEAT 5: Brian Levell (19.84s), Makanakaishe Charamba (20.06s), Gout Gout (20.23s)
HEAT 6: Letsile Tebogo (20.18s), Xavi Mo-Ajok (20.35s), Towa Uzawa (20.39s)
