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Ellina Mhlanga, in Paris, France 

AS they go into today’s men’s 200m semi-final at the Stade de France, Makanakaishe Charamba and Tapiwanashe Makarawu, will be out for another positive outcome after brilliant performances during the heats on Monday at the Paris Olympic Games.

The first two in each of the three semi-final heats and the next two fastest times advance to the final. The semi-final heats are scheduled to start at 20.02. Charamba is up in semi-final two where he faces 100m gold medallist, Noah Lyles from the United States. 

He is also up against Letsile Tebogo again after running the same heat in the first round heats on Monday.

Charamba made it to the semi-final after finishing on number two in heat three with a time of 20.27 seconds. Tebogo won the heat in 20.10 seconds.

However, the 22-year-old Charamba is focusing on running his own race when he returns to the track today. 

“So, probably still looking at the line up I will say I am just expecting to go out there and have fun.“I don’t want to put pressure on myself to do anything spectacular, but I just want to go out there and do what I have been doing with my coach and a few things we worked on today. And I am just looking forward to a great show, that’s it. I just want to put in a great show,” said Charamba.

Being his first Olympics, Charamba said the experience has been good. 

“The experience is great. This is my first, like an individual international championship, so I am just cherishing the moment, having fun and seeing what happens,” said Charamba. 

His fellow teammate, Makarawu, who posted a time of 20.07 seconds to qualify for the semi-final, meets Erriyon Knighton of the United States again in semi-final three.

 They were in the same heat in the first round with Knighton emerging the winner in 19.99 seconds. 

Joseph Fahnbulleh of Liberia, who is also a top contender for the final and South Africa’s Wayde Van Niekerk are also part of the start list in heat three

But Makarawu is confident and looking forward to giving his all to progress to the final scheduled for tomorrow.

 “I think I have a good heat. I have the chance to make the finals if I run a good heat tomorrow. But I think we are going to have fun with the guys like they are really fast guys.

“Like Erriyon Knighton and Joseph Fahnbulleh and the other guys from Italy, (Filippo) Tortu, they are fast guys which means I have to run that semi-final tomorrow like a final so that I can make the final. I think I am going to tackle this race like a final because it’s not going to be easy to make the final. And I think since Knighton is in front of me again, I am just going to chase him because I know he is fast.

“I know Joseph is fast again. So, if I am between those two guys, I just have to chase Knighton and run away from Joseph because Joseph has a strong last 100m. So, I have to run away from him and chase Knighton and see how it goes from there.”

The Africa Championships silver medallist said he has already attained his target and goes into the semi-final with an open mind. 

“No too much expectations for me because like I said, it’s not going to be easy to make the finals. But whatever God decides tomorrow it is what it is, I am just going to accept it.

“But my target that I set for myself for this Olympics is to make it to the semis,I did, then for the finals we will see how it goes from there,” said Makarawu.

Makarawu’s 20.07 seconds in the heats also earned him the ticket to next year’s World Athletics Championships to be held in Tokyo, Japan. 

The qualifying time for men’s 200m is 20.16 seconds, just like for the Paris 2024 Games.