Zvinowanda shines in Marrakech

VIMBAI Zvinowanda was the toast of the Zimbabwe Paralympic team that was due to arrive in the country yesterday, after she won gold in Morocco to qualify for this year’s Paralympic Games in France.

She participated in the T47 category, which is for amputees and beat her opponents in the 400m in a good time that earned her Olympic qualification.

She clocked 1 minute 06.22 seconds in the 400m for gold and Paralympic qualification. She ran well within the qualifying mark of 1 minute 10 seconds.

The Zimbabwe contingent left Marrakech immediately after, for Zimbabwe.

On Friday she had won herself her first gold medal, finishing first in the 200m in a time of 28.8 seconds.

Kudakwashe Chigwedere won Zimbabwe’s third gold medal, when on Saturday he outsprinted other African athletes to win the T47 200m in a time of 23.51 seconds. The minimum qualifying time for the Paris Paralympics is 23.40 seconds and he was just 0.11 seconds off the mark.

Chigwedere who also had a good outing added Zimbabwe’s only bronze medal to see the team leave with four medals as he finished third in T47 100m. Just 0.003 seconds shy of the qualifying Paralympic time of 11.60 seconds, he must have left cursing with his effort of 11.63.

Clement Nyoni who took part in the T46 400m finished fifth in a race held on the last day of the competition. He clocked 01 minute 01.60 seconds almost 9 seconds from the qualifying mark of 52.2 seconds.

Nyoni’s fortunes were not on the bright end as he was fourth in the 200m, in which he finished in 26.56 seconds, 2.23 seconds away from qualifying for the Summer Paralympics.

Tinotenda Bango who was part of the team and participated in the T447 category, clocked 33.14 seconds for her fourth place in the 200m.

It was yet another fourth place for Tinotenda Bango in the T47 100m, where she clocked 15.63 seconds.

According to the team’s Chef de Mission Masimba Mutemaringa, the International Committee through the World Para-Athletics Association, convened the Grand Prix Championship in Morocco to help athletes with physical challenges and visual impairment to qualify for Paris Paralympic Games to be held in France.

Athletes were expected to run, throw or jump below the minimum qualifying standards that are in place.

Zimbabwe athletes went through a classifying expert before these Games provided by the International Paralympic Committee.

Zimbabwe has 31 eligible athletes on the International Paralympic Committee data base and only eight qualify to run in international events.

Mutemaringa was happy with the team’s performance.

“I am happy with the way the team performed. Three gold and one silver, was great achievement by the boys and girls. I am also happy that Zvinowanda qualified for the Paralympics. Others gave it a great effort and were close,” said Mutemaringa.

Elliot Mujaji, popularised the sport for people with disabilities with his successes at the Sydney and Athens Olympics. He also won gold at the 2022 World Paralympic Championships and All-Africa Games.