Paris Olympics 2024: Makarawu, Charamba qualify for 200m final

ZIMSPHERE

PARIS, France - Tapiwanashe Makarawu and Makanakaishe Charamba have made history as the first Zimbabweans to participate in a 200M final since Brian Dzingai at Beijing 2008.

Tapiwanashe Makarawu, Makanakaishe Charamba, 2024 Paris Olympics, 200m final Olympics

The two athletes narrowly secured the last two spots available for the final on Wednesday evening in hotly contested heats.

There were three heats in the semi-finals, comprising of 18 athletes who had qualified on Monday and six athletes from Tuesday’s repachage round. The two fastest times gained automatic qualification into the final, while the next two fastest athletes from all three heats completed the eight finalists.

Coincidentally, both Makarawu and Charamba did not make the top 2 of their respective heats, but they both came third; and both managed to make the next two fastest times necessary for qualification.

Charamba competed in Heat 2 and clocked 20.31; behind Letsile Tebogo and 100M gold medallist Noah Lyles. Makarawu was in Heat 3 and posted 20.16; behind Erriyon Knighton and Joseph Fahnbulleh

The two Zimbabweans make it four Africans in the 200M final; together with Liberia’s Joseph Fahnbulleh and Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo – who posted the fastest time in the semi-finals.

The Men’s 200M final is scheduled for tomorrow at 2030hrs.

Here is the full list of finalists, as well as their qualifying times: