The Sunday Mail
Tinashe Kusema
Deputy Sports Editor
THERE is an aura of calmness and mild elements of reckless abandon about the way Zimbabwean sprinter Tapiwanashe Makarawu is going about his business as he approaches the World Athletics Championships.
The 20-year-old, currently studying psychology at New Mexico Junior College, recently made headlines when he punched his ticket to the World Athletics Championships slated for August 19-27 in Budapest, Hungary.
In what was a record-making performance, Makarawu ran a personal best time of 10.05 seconds at last weekend’s NJCAA Championships in New Mexico.
At the same meet, Carlie, as his peers call him in the United States, also broke the national 200m record after running a time of 20.10 seconds.
The 100m finish puts him in line to compete against some of the world’s top sprinters in Budapest, but the former Bindura University of Science Education student is not moved by this prospect.
“I am so relaxed.
“I am part of the ‘fast guys’ people are talking about, and not really sweating about it,’’ Makarawu said. “All I have to do, once in Budapest, is go out there and execute the game plan. “The plan is to give the so-called ‘fast guys’ trouble,” he said
Call it naivety or arrogance, there, however, seems to be reasons behind the Zimbabwean’s confidence. This is largely because this is not necessarily his first dance with a world competition. In 2017, he was part of a cast of sprinters at the Junior World Championships, where he, however, failed to go beyond the heats.
He also drew some harsh lessons from the Junior meet.
“I started my athletics career back in primary school, but I did not really take it seriously until I went to high school.
“When I did finally begin to take it seriously in 2016, I had a very average year, with the peak being that I managed to qualify to compete at the nationals (Zimbabwe) that were held at Hillcrest College that year.
“I came fifth at that meet but had a better 2017, where I won a couple of races that helped me qualify for the World Championships (Under-18).
“Now, that was a nightmare of a meet as everything went wrong.
“I didn’t have the best preparations. I trained mostly by myself. It was also my first time competing at that level and the nerves got the better of me,” he said.
Makarawu failed to get past the preliminary rounds of the meet and then spent most of 2018 and 2019 ravaged by injuries and illness.
But that was then. Now, the sun seems to be shining brightly on this young sprinter.
Among those backing him are Zimbabwe’s seasoned sprinters Cuthbert Nyasango, Ngoni Makusha and Ngonidzashe Makusha, as well as his current coach in the United States Arman Gino Hall.
In the younger Ngoni Makusha, the two have gone through the motions, racing each other, and teammates in the Zimbabwe relay team. They consider each other brothers.
They have also bonded over the years through religion; they are members of the Salvation Army.
Makarawu also spoke of how he constantly chats and trades war stories with Ngoni Makusha on a weekly basis as they support each other.
He, however, lists the elder Makusha (Ngonidzashe) as one of his idols and says meeting him earlier this year helped him settle in the US.
“I had the pleasure of meeting Ngonidzashe Makusha, who is now retired and coaching here in the US, and we had a very good talk.
“He gave me a lot of great advice and was very encouraging.
“I am stronger and better off because of that talk.” He also still hopes to meet with his biggest idol — Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt.
In the meantime, he will have to contend with the teachings of his coach Gino Hall
He is no slouch either, as the American is a former Olympian himself.
In fact, Makarawu’s entire support system is full of Olympians, which is inspiring him to take aim at the Olympics.
“I want to represent my country at the World Championships and become a world champion myself.
“The ultimate goal, however, is to one day grace the Olympics and win a medal,” he said.
■ Twitter: @Nashaar
