PARIS — Zimbabwe will have strong representation in the men’s 200m final at the Paris 2024 Olympics, with Tapiwanashe Makarawu and Makanakaishe Charamba qualifying for Thursday’s event.
Makarawu secured his spot by finishing third in his semi-final, while Charamba advanced as one of the fastest non-automatic qualifiers. They join Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo and Liberia’s Joseph Fahnbulleh as part of the African contingent.
The final will also feature three U.S. sprinters, including Noah Lyles, who finished second in his semi-final behind Tebogo. Lyles, the 100m champion, is chasing up to four gold medals in Paris and eased up in his semi-final when comfortably in second place. He is joined by Kenny Bednarek and Erriyon Knighton.
Makarawu, a two-time African Championships medallist, won silver in the 200m in 2024 and bronze in the 4x100m relay in 2022. He set a Zimbabwe national record of 20.10 in April 2023, breaking Brian Dzingai’s 2004 mark. On April 26, 2024, Makarawu became the first Zimbabwean to run the 200m under 20 seconds, clocking 19.93 in Lubbock, Texas.
Initially facing setbacks in securing a scholarship at NCAA Division schools, he flourished at New Mexico Junior College under coach Tabarie Henry, setting an NJCAA indoor record of 20.29 for the 200m. Makarawu will join the University of Kentucky for the upcoming season.
Charamba, coached by two-time Zimbabwean Olympian Ken Harnden, began athletics in 2017 at Hillcrest College on a rugby scholarship. He switched to track during the Covid-19 pandemic after a heart-to-heart talk with his late mother. Charamba won the 100m at the 2018 Southern Africa School Games and later moved to the U.S. for further studies. He excelled at Carson-Newman University, winning the 2023 NCAA Division II Championships in the 200m.
Now at Auburn University, he clocked a wind-assisted 20.19 in 2023 and dipped under 20 seconds for the first time in May 2024, recording 19.95 at the NCAA East Regions Prelims.
The two sprinters will carry Zimbabwe’s hopes in tomorrow’s 200m final, representing the nation’s best chance for a podium finish. Zimbabwe has previously won a total of eight Olympic medals: three gold, four silver, and one bronze.
Notable achievements include four medals in Beijing 2008, three in Athens 2004, and one in Moscow 1980.
Men’s 200m final qualifiers
Letsile Tebogo, Botswana (19.96 seconds)
Kenneth Bednarek, United States (20.00 seconds)
Noah Lyles, United States (20.08 seconds)
Alexander Ogando, Dominican Republic (20.088 seconds)
Erriyon Knighton, United States (20.089 seconds)
Joseph Fahnbulleh, Liberia (20.12 seconds)
Tapiwanashe Makarawu, Zimbabwe (20.16 seconds)
Makanakaishe Charamba, Zimbabwe (20.31 seconds)
