Online Reporter
Ellina Mhlanga
THE Africa Senior Athletics Championships are currently underway in Accra, Ghana, and for Zimbabwe, the objective is clear — to improve on their medal tally from the previous edition.
Zimbabwe is fielding track athletes only, with strong hopes pinned on the men’s 4x400m relay as one of the events most likely to deliver a podium finish.
Following an outstanding performance at the World Relays nearly two weeks ago, the men’s 4x400m relay team of Gerren Muwishi, Dennis Hove, Thandazani Ndhlovu and Leeford Zuze is part of Team Zimbabwe currently competing in Accra.
The quartet has been the talk of the circuit after achieving a top-five finish at the World Relays in Botswana. In doing so, they etched their names into history as the first Zimbabwean team to reach the finals at the global relay competition, while also securing qualification for next year’s World Championships in Beijing, China.
Athletics coach Mavhuto Tumba, who also works closely with Hove at Trackmasters Club, is confident that the team is well positioned to produce another impressive showing on the continental stage in Ghana.
The 4x400m relay heats are scheduled for today, with the final set for tomorrow — the last day of the championships.
“In terms of the Africa Senior Championships, from my side of view, I am seeing these guys bringing a medal from Africa Senior Championships. I have been trying to check on their performance, they were doing well and, with the experience that they gained at the World Stage, I believe to get a medal at the Africa Senior Champs is something which is not going to be difficult for them as long as they are not going to give themselves pressure,” said Tumba.
On their way to qualifying for the final at the World Relays, the team set a new national record of 2 minutes 59.01 seconds — a performance that has reinforced their status as serious medal contenders in Accra. As a result, the quartet has been widely tipped among Zimbabwe’s strongest prospects at the ongoing African Championships.
“They have to just do what they did in Gaborone so that they bring back a medal. In Gaborone, they managed to break another record like what I was expecting,” said Tumba.
Hove and Zuze have already made a bright start to the championships after claiming silver and bronze medals respectively in the 400m event on Thursday. Hove clocked 44.92 seconds to finish second, while Zuze crossed the line in third place in 45.03 seconds. Ndhlovu also put in a commendable effort, finishing seventh with a time of 45.38 seconds.
Heading into today’s relay event, the team will be aiming to build on those individual performances and convert their momentum into a collective success.
Tumba added that preparations for the World Championships in Beijing effectively begin now, calling on stakeholders to play their part in ensuring the athletes are adequately supported.
“I think the best thing for these guys to be able to get to Beijing and perform better is if we are going to have more people who are going to support in terms of financial support, and also if we are going to have more camps. Most of the time they don’t have camps. It’s something that we need. We need serious camps,” emphasised Tumba.
The National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe is also fielding a 4x100m relay team at the Africa Championships.
The team, comprising Ngoni Makusha, Methembe Tshuma, Makanakaishe Charamba and Gerren Muwishi, finished third in their heat with a time of 39.49 seconds on Thursday, securing qualification for the final which was scheduled for late yesterday.
Muwishi replaced Tapiwanashe Makarawu in the line-up.
The broader aim remains to have at least two relay teams represent Zimbabwe at the World Championships in Beijing, with the qualification journey already gathering pace through the current continental assignments.
