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Lovemore Dube, [email protected]

ZIMBABWE athletes have three months in which to run qualifying standards for the Paris Olympics track and field events.

Only Isaac Mpofu, Bulawayo’s star long distance running champion has already qualified among the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe hopefuls.

A number are close to the wanted times and hence, the forthcoming competitions they will take part in will be key. What is encouraging is that the United States of America Collegiate scene is gaining momentum and with a sizeable number of the country’s best sprinters based there, hopes remain high that a number may qualify.

The Olympics are the biggest sporting extravaganza in the world, bringing dozens of sports codes together in one country at the same time.

They remain every athlete’s dream event.

Leading the charge is Clinton Muunga, whose 10.18 seconds in the 100m run on 16 March this year in the US, is the best by a Zimbabwean in the distance. He has to shed off 0.18 seconds in order to make the qualifying barrier, which is 10 seconds.

Muunga’s effort on Sunday made him the 22nd fastest man in the world, something he may live to celebrate for a while. He however must not grow complacent, as he has a scholarship place to retain and the challenge to put his Matabeleland South Province on the map if he makes it to the All-Africa Games.

Elijah Nkala remains the best known athlete to have come close to the feat in the last three decades while Vuyani Fulunga and Charles Mafika both of Bulilima were in the draft team for the Munich Games in 1972.

He will surely inspire the next generation of athletes. The former Plumtree boy could be a favourite for the 4x100m relay qualifying efforts.

Makanakaishe Charamba is next on line with his 10.28 seconds, also run in the US on the same day. His, was at the weekend the 65th best time in the world and has all to fight for, to make the grade for the world’s biggest and best sports show.

It surely has been a promising start to the outdoor athletics season, with Ngoni Makusha’s 10.30 seconds in the 100m considered the 79th best time of the season while Leon Tafirenyika with 10.41 is 175th and David Nyamufarira whose best this year is 10.50 seconds is on 287 in the world rankings.

The qualifying mark for the 200m is 20.16 seconds. Leading the charge is Charamba with 20.23 seconds. Good preparations, weather and competition could push him to run a double in France in July and a bonus in the 4x100m, which looks doable if resources are available for the best sprinters to attempt at forthcoming competitions.

Charamba was lying seventh on the rankings while Tapiwanashe Makarawu another bright prospect, who was second in the indoor 200m rankings last month, finds himself 11th, with a 20.29 seconds 200m sprint.

Bulawayo boy Denzil Simusialela is 311th, with a time of 21.10 and Muunga 330th after running a season’s best of 21.11.

Rising 400m runner Vimbai Maisvora may have to chew a second and a few milliseconds to make a pioneering appearance in the 400m at the Olympics by a Zimbabwean athlete.

Her best of the season stands at 52.16 seconds with the 400m qualifying mark 50.95 seconds.

Athletics has often attracted some of the most thrilling moments of the Olympics and it would be great for viewers from Zimbabwe to cheer their own, on television.