Zimbabwe to concentrate on sprints and marathons

SHOULD Zimbabweans concentrate on athletics events of their choice, or work hard on those where there have been successes at major events?

Zimbabweans have shone in the sprints, jumps and long distances where they have scored successes globally.

Some countries tend to concentrate on specific events just like the East Africans have dominated middle and long distances over the past 30 years.

There could be a genealogical or historical perspective to that.

While swimming and field hockey have provided gold medals at the Olympics, the sport’s premier event bringing several sporting events together over a fortnight’s intensive programme, the 2000 and 2004 Paralympics set a tone for Zimbabweans.

Elliot Mujaji won gold in the 100m at the two Paralympics and for a while was a dominant force at other international events.

Fast forward to 2008 where Ngoni Makusha finished an impressive fourth in the long jump and Brian Dzingai weighed in with a fourth-place finish in the 200m.

This year Zimbabwe athletes Tapiwanashe Makarawu and Makanakaishe Charamba became the first two Zimbabweans to run a sub-20 seconds in 200m. In the process, Makarawu’s 19.93 seconds became the national record with Charamba’s best of the season 19.95.

Their immaculate times qualified them for the Paris Olympic Games where both did not disappoint.

They affirmed probably the direction Zimbabwe sport should take.

They stormed into the final of the 200m with Makarawu finishing sixth and Charamba eighth. That achievement has created debate.

Should kids do as they please and run what they want, or Zimbabwe has identified its strong point in athletics?

Stephen Muzhingi is a three-time Comrades Marathon winner and several other runners have excelled in international events such as the Two Oceans, Durban Marathon and several others in Asia and Europe.

Perhaps in the middle distances, only Julia Sakala was able to leave a mark as she won several events abroad making her Zimbabwe’s most successful athlete on the international scene.

Zimpapers Sports Hub reached out to Tendai Tagara, the history-making National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe president, he feels jumps and sprints are our forte.

Tagara says in the marathons, Zimbabwe has proven itself.

“Jumps, sprints, these two are related physiologically. Long distance we have proven ourselves,” said Tagara.

He is happy that Chengetai Mapaya came close too and was at some stage ranked 28th in the world despite not taking part in many races. Perhaps had he, his world ranking would have enabled him to be part of the Zimbabwe team at the Olympics.

Makarawu came close too in the 100m finishing the season with a time of 10.06 seconds, 0.06 off the qualifying standard for the Olympics.

Overall, he is 73rd in the world among the fastest run times this year. He won silver at the African Championships held in Douala, Cameroon.

Ashley Miller a hurdler had a good season and was a medallist at the African Games in Ghana. She specialises in the 100 and 400m hurdles.

Another sprinter, Vimbai Maisvoreva is 85th in the world’s best times for 2024 with a 51.43 seconds 400m.

National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe technical director, Phakamile Lisimati weighs in: “From my observation, we have excelled in a variety of events up to the highest levels, I believe we are people with a lot of talent. Look at Artwell Mandaza a sprinter, look at Tendai Chimusasa era in the marathon, the current crop has excelled as well as up to World Championships in the long jump, Makusha as well sprints, the present crop of Mapaya, Charamba and Makarawu,” said Lisimati.

Mandaza was the first man on earth to run a sub 10 seconds 100m.

He is convinced Zimbabwe is not a middle-distance country.

“I can safely say we are not middle-distance runners,” said Lisimati.

Former Amandlethu and Bulawayo Bottlers coach, James Rugwevera believes long distances and sprints are the country’s strong points.

“Past results tell the story,” said Rugwevera who insisted that plans for the Tokyo World Championships in 2025 must have begun already.

Zimbabwe’s top performers by time and world rankings as of today.