ZIMBABWEan sprinter Tapiwanashe Makarawu failed to advance to the 200m semifinals after finishing fourth in his heat at the ongoing 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary yesterday.
The United States-based athlete who ran in Heat 2 together with newly crowned 100m world champion and 200m defending champion Noah Lyles (20.05), managed a time of 20.64.
His time yesterday was way too short of the 20.10 he clocked when qualifying for these Championships, which will come as a huge disappointment for the rising star.
Andrew Hudson of Jamaica was second with a time of 20.25, while Ondrej Maclk (20.40) of Czech Republic came third.
This year's World Athletics Championships started last Saturday and will end on Sunday.
Makarawu qualified for the race in April when he crossed the line in 20.10 in the Texas Tech Corky/Crofoot Shootout at the Terry & Linda Fuller Track and Field Complex in the States, his personal best record which was also a new national record.
He beat the world championships qualifying time which is 20:16.
Makarawu is currently ranked 62 in the men’s 200m race category although that is set to improve after yesterday's perfomance which saw him coming 30th overall best in the seven heats ran yesterday.
- Zim sprinter hopes dashed
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He is one of the four Zimbabwe athletes at the World Championships.
The country's other representatives are marathon runners Isaac Mpofu, Ngonidzashe Ncube and Fortunate Chidzivo who are set to compete at the weekend.
Mpofu would be looking to improve on his 10th place finish he achieved at last year's Championships in Eugene, United States, when he clocked an impressive 2:07:5 to set a national record.
