Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube, [email protected]
ZIMBABWE athletics yesterday reached a defining moment with a performance that had the 4x400m relay team qualify for the World Relays Final in Gaborone, Botswana.
As if that was not enough, with a national record breaking time of 2 minutes 59.01 seconds, Zimbabwe also qualified for the 2027 World Championships in a breathtaking display of speed, unity and belief.
Crucially, booking their place so early gives Zimbabwe a significant advantage — with more than a year to prepare, the nation now has ample time to fine-tune preparations, build depth and sharpen competitiveness ahead of the global showpiece.
This stands in stark contrast to this year’s World Athletics Relays, where the qualifying standard was only achieved a fortnight ago, leaving little room for structured build-up.
It is real, Zimbabwe is now high up there among the best in the world. If reaching the Olympic and World Championships final was a fluke, then yesterday the quartet made a huge announcement, which was literally an endorsement.
The quartet of Leeford Zuze, Thandazani Ndlovu, Dennis Hove and Gerren Muwishi delivered a historic run, taking Zimbabwe into the elite sub-3-minute club — a benchmark reserved for the world’s best.
Coming up against some of the strongest relay nations globally, Zimbabwe rose to the occasion with composure and precision.
Their time of 2:59.01 (National Record) places them firmly among:
class finalists
global top-tier relay nations
Africa’s emerging sprint powerhouse units
In doing so, Zimbabwe finished alongside top-performing nations and edged past traditional competitors, announcing their arrival on the biggest stage. National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (Naaz) president, Tendai Tagara hailed the feat as “A New Era.”
In an emotional and proud message, Tagara paid tribute to the athletes, coaches and the entire athletics ecosystem.
“This is a historic and defining moment for Zimbabwean athletics. To qualify for the World Relays Final and the World Championships, while breaking the national record, is nothing short of extra-ordinary.”
Tagara added: “These young men have demonstrated what is possible through discipline, teamwork, and belief. They have not only represented Zimbabwe — they have elevated our flag onto the global stage with pride and excellence.”
The Naaz president said the triumph was as a result of a collective effort.
“We must commend the athletes, the technical team, and everyone working behind the scenes. This achievement is a result of a united athletics family — local and international coaches, support systems, and partners who continue to believe in Zimbabwean talent.”
For years, Zimbabwe hovered around the 3:03–3:05 range, knocking on the door of global competitiveness.
But yesterday that door was broken down.
Dropping to 2:59.01 is not incremental progress — it is a quantum leap into the highest level of world athletics.
Sub-3:00 = World-class standard
Final qualification = Elite recognition
World Championships qualification = Global validation
The quartet executed near-perfect baton exchanges, a critical asset at this level, proving that Zimbabwe’s strength lies not just in speed, but in team cohesion and race intelligence.
Perhaps the coach, Phakamile Lisimati, deserves praise for identifying and placing his athletes in the order he did to come up with a formula that unlocked the best out of the team.
In March, Lisimati disclosed that the team would travel to Lesotho to benchmark and move over to Botswana to wage a serious challenge.
They did not disappoint in both races winning Lesotho and breaking a national record to place themselves among the top 13 countries in the event.
With all the top nations (24) in the house, the athletes ran magnificently to place overall sixth and storm into the final.
One can only hope this is just the beginning. In the 4x100m, Zimbabwe boasts a growing pool of sprinters, with at least four athletes capable of dipping under the coveted 10-second mark in the 100m — a foundation that, if harnessed well, could transform the country into a serious contender in the shorter relay as well.
Bongani Ndlovu