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After a promising start to their campaign when they ran a race to fifth in the world with a time of 39.76 seconds in March, the team has now fallen to 27th in the world.
The team would have to take part in at least two events before 8 July to improve its time and qualify.
Only the best 16 teams in terms of times clocked in conditions acceptable to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and this year’s Olympic organisers qualify for the games.
London will be the host city of this year’s championships. Many countries have gone into full gear in their preparations by taking their competitors to several meetings in different combinations.
For instance the Jamaicans have fielded separate teams headed by their star athletes Asafa Powell and 100m record holder Usain Bolt. This has given the country more chances of qualifying for the event and as things stand, they boast the best time of the year of 37.82 seconds.
The time is 0.48 seconds better than second placed US perennial, favourites in the event since Jesse Owens’ time in 1936.
Zimbabwe were last month dealt a severe blow in their bid when sprinter and long jumper Ngoni Makusha was injured. He will be out for a couple of months and is now doubtful for the Olympics even in the long jump in which he has already qualified.
He was yet to make it in the 100m.
Makusha was expected to be a key member of the relay team which has Marvin Bonde, Anthony Hobwana, Gabriel Mvumvure, Brian Dzingai and Andrew Madzivire. The Zimbabwe Olympic Committee sponsored the first attempt at qualifying.
They had promised that they would probably fund the team to another competition or two. A heavy college sports schedule for most of the Zimbabwean athletes has made running at another event impossible in the past.
But with the collegiate season over, it would be worthwhile for ZOC to try to get the athletes together for another attempt. Zimbabwe has had some good sprinters in the last decade. But for some like Bonde and Dzingai, this could be their last attempt at the Games.
Online Reporter