The Sunday Mail
Tinashe Kusema
ACE track and field star Chengetayi Mapaya is a wanted man.
As reigning national collegiate champion at Texas Christian University in the United States of America, Mapaya will be one of the men to beat when the 2020 track and field season begins.
The 20-year-old was recently put on the Bowerman award watchlist, thereby adding another target on his back.
The Bowerman is an annual award given to the year’s best student athlete in American collegiate track and field sports, and is administered by the US Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
The Texas Christian University junior is one of the 10 athletes on the watchlist, alongside Florida State University’s Trey Cunningham, Devin Dixon (Texas A&M), Gleb Dudarev (Kansas), Johannes Erm (Gerogia), Quincy Hall (South Carolina), JuVaughn Harrison (LSU), Oliver Hoare (Wisconsin), Chris Nilsen (South Dakota) and Trevor Stewart (North Carolina).
“The Bowerman award is basically the top award, or Holy Grail if you like, of track and field sports here in America. Every student athlete aspires to win it.
“But just being on the watchlist is actually a huge honour. I remember being chuffed and humbled when I found out that I had made the cut,” said Mapaya.
Mapaya made headlines during his sophomore season late last year when he leapt to the national title at the NCAA outdoor track and field championships at Mike A. Myers Stadium on his home campus ground at Texas University.
His leap of 17,13 metres not only gave him the national title, but also made the cut for last year’s IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha, an experience he has since described as life changing despite a poor showing.
“Doha was a surreal experience for me, a dream come true,” said the 20-year-old.
“From a very young age, I have always wanted to compete at the highest level, and the World Championships are one of those top athletics events.
“It’s unfortunate that I went into the games nursing a slight injury. However, I refuse to use that as an excuse. l did not do as well as I would have wanted.
“Still, being there was a victory on its own. I learnt a lot through the experience and chatting with some of the top sportsmen and women from across the world,” he said.
But with the 2019 season now in the rear-view mirror, Mapaya has focused his attention on the main goal — the 2020 Olympics.
“It’s unfortunate that I cannot go into detail on the specifics of my seasonal goals and targets, but the main thing is the Olympics.
“Accolades and titles here and there are fine and dandy, but my main goal is to represent my country.
“I want to show the world that Zimbabwe has talent and is capable of doing wonders.
“Growing up, Honourable Minister Kirsty Coventry was my idol. Due to her exploits in the water, she put us on the map.
“I want to do the same on the track. The Olympics are the ideal platform for that,” he said.
