Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. ZIMBABWEAN sprinters Tapiwanashe Makarawu and Makanakaishe Charamba have kept the nation’s hopes for a medal finish alive at the Tokyo World Athletics Championships after reaching the semifinals of the 200m following the competition heats yesterday.
Both athletes have automatically qualified for the semi-finals, scheduled for this afternoon.
Makarawu, a seasoned competitor, showcased his prowess by winning his heat with a blistering time of 19.91 seconds.
He narrowly edged out American standout Courtney Lindsey, who finished just 0.04 seconds behind, while Jamaican Adrian Kerr took third with a time of 20.13 seconds.
Makarawu’s exceptional run was the second-fastest time recorded across all heats, setting a strong precedent for the competition ahead.
In his World Championships debut, Charamba delivered a remarkable performance.
He finished second in his heat with a personal best of 20.06 seconds, only trailing behind Jamaican Bryan Levell, who won with a time of 19.84 seconds.
Charamba’s strategic race put him ahead of young Australian sprinter Gout Gout and secured him the sixth-fastest overall time, a phenomenal achievement for his first appearance on this grand stage.
Their success follows a strong showing by fellow countryman Isaac Mpofu, who secured an impressive 10th-place finish in his event just days earlier.
The collective success of these athletes is a testament to the growing talent in Zimbabwean athletics.
With Makarawu and Charamba now preparing for the next round, the possibility of a podium finish for Zimbabwe seems more tangible than ever.
The two Zimbabwean athletes made history reaching the final at the Paris Olympic Games last year in the same competition.
In the end, Makarawu claimed sixth place and Charamba finished seventh.
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