The Sunday Mail
Deputy Sports Editor
TINOTENDA Matiyenga is getting his mojo back.
Now injury-free and feeling worthy of his “Booster” moniker again, the 21-year-old broke the Zimbabwe national 200-metre indoor athletics record at the Texas Tech Invitational in the United States of America last weekend.
Matiyenga romped to victory in the 200m race inside the Sports Performance Centre in Lubbock by clocking 20,80 seconds. He has been in top form in the past couple of months.
However, it all began with a trip back home.
“The year 2020 was both a good and bad year for me. It was supposed to be my comeback year, wherein I was starting to feel like my normal self again,” said Matiyenga.
“I struggled the previous year and couldn’t find my spark. I was not right mentally, as I had injury issues; my times were not that good and I let everything get to me.
“As luck would have it, I managed to come back to Zimbabwe during the summer of 2019 and managed to recharge my batteries. That helped me get my spark again. When I came back to the United States, I remember telling people to stop calling me Tino and start using Booster.”
Sadly, the Covid-19 pandemic then hit and almost scuppered the Texas Christian University (TCU) senior’s comeback tale.
“I spent most of my free time, including the holidays, training.
“The holidays were the most ideal time to train as they were not a lot of people around or distractions.
“I put in the hours on the track and in the gym all throughout Christmas and New Year.”
Matiyenga spends most of his time with fellow Zimbabwean student-athletes Chengetayi Mapaya, Simbarashe Maketa and Kundai Maguranyanga, and credits their influence on his performance.
“The training dynamic between the Zimbabwe team here is quite fun and inspirational.
“We all have similar backgrounds and goals, which bind us together.
“We were all very dominant during our high school days, and we have all brought that competitive nature here.
“We also urge each other on and pick each other up when one lags behind or is not feeling well.
“It’s a tight family unit,” he said.
While all these factors contributed to Matiyenga’s bright start to the season, he is under no illusions of how tough the road ahead is going to be.
He knows that the road to the Tokyo Olympic Games is long and winding.
“Yes, the Olympics remain the ultimate goal. There is no greater honour than representing your country at the highest level. I might have broken the record, but records are not the ultimate goal. Besides, as far as I know, indoor events don’t really count for qualification for outdoor events.
“However, I can still make the 20.24-second qualifying mark, and will be vying for both the 100 and 200 metres at the Games,” Matiyenga said.
For now, he is at peace with everything.
“The Covid-19 situation here in the United States has improved.
“There is a lot of awareness now, people are wearing their masks, washing their hands and doing what they need to do to stay safe.
“Also, with the vaccines rolling out, things should get even better.
“Personally, while I still struggle with online learning, I have accepted the situation.
“It used to frustrate me a lot, as I couldn’t train and compete, but I have accepted that it is what it is, and (I) now play my part. I wear my mask all the time and only take it off when I race, and that is fine.
“Training has been going on well, as I am taking each day as it comes and each meet as it comes.
“That was my coach’s advice last weekend at the Texas Tech Invitational, and it worked well.”
