Mvumvure equals national record

Sport
ZIMBABWE sprinter Gabriel Mvumvure equalled the national 60m indoor record, but narrowly missed out on a place in the men 60m final at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Sopot, Poland, on Saturday evening.

ZIMBABWE sprinter Gabriel Mvumvure equalled the national 60m indoor record, but narrowly missed out on a place in the men 60m final at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Sopot, Poland, on Saturday evening.

gabriel-mumvuri-1
Gabriel Mvumvure

 

SPORTS REPORTER

The Zimbabwe national record over the same distance is 6,60secs.

Mvumvure stopped the clock in 6,60secs as he finished third in his semi-final to equal the record set by Ngonidzashe Makusha at the Atlantic Coast Conference Championships in Blacksburg, Virginia, US, in February 2009.

The 26-year-old former African junior champion, who is now managed by Pro-Sports Management Group had earlier on Friday evening ran a personal best 6,64secs to qualify for Saturday’s semifinals.

However, more was still to come from the former Churchill High School boy as he shed yet another four milliseconds from his earlier personal best time to ink his name in the record books.

“I was three spots shy of making the finals.

“I thank God for everything. I ran a personal best and national record. Thanks to everyone for the love,” Mvumvure tweeted soon after the race.

Mvumvure, who was pictured with the current 60m world record holder, American Maurice Greene soon after the race, later said he had now set his sights on the world record.

“I thank God for the opportunity to represent my country and I pray for the grace to follow as I aim for the world record,” he said.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s other representative at the Iaaf World Indoor Championships; long jumper Makusha had a disappointing campaign in Sopot.

Makusha, who was the country’s brightest medal prospect failed to make it past the qualifying round of the men’s long jump on Friday evening.

The national record holder had gone to Sopot with very high hopes after an impressive run of form in the build-up to the games, but struggled on the grand stage as he failed to meet the qualifying jump of eight metres.