PARIS, France — In a historic moment for African athletics, Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo claimed gold in the men’s 200m final at the Paris 2024 Olympics, stunning the field with a new African record of 19.46 seconds.

For Zimbabwean athletes, the race held special significance, with both Tapiwa Makarawu and Makanakaishe Charamba making their Olympic debut.

Makarawu finished sixth with a time of 20.10 seconds, while Charamba secured eighth place with a time of 20.53 seconds.

Tebogo’s victory, achieved on the evening of August 8, marked the first time an African sprinter has secured gold in this event.

The 21-year-old dedicated his performance to his late mother, running with her birthdate inscribed on his shoes.

The silver medal went to Kenneth Bednarek of the USA, who clocked 19.62 seconds. Lyles, who had earlier won the 100m gold in a dramatic finish, fell short of matching Tebogo’s pace and will now look to the relay events for further opportunities at the Games.

Reflecting on his performance, Makarawu said, “It was a good experience, no lie. It was the most relaxed race I’ve ever run. Coming sixth in the world means a lot to me, and it really means that we are going somewhere as Zimbabwe.”

Makarawu, who has also qualified for the World Championships next year, expressed gratitude for his journey.

Makarawu, who has also qualified for the World Championships next year, expressed gratitude for his journey.

“Running for eight months without rest is not a joke. For a young guy like me, my body cannot handle running fast every week, so I really thank God for that,” he said. “I never thought I was going to run fast this August, but because of God, I’m here.”

Looking ahead, Makarawu plans to focus on improving his weaknesses and building on his strengths for future competitions.

“These Olympics showed me my strengths and my weaknesses. Going forward, I think I’m going to be working more on my weaknesses, then emphasizing more on my strengths,” he added.

Charamba faced a challenging race but remains positive. “It means a lot; it means me and my coach are on the right track. I didn’t have a good race. Sometimes you have good days, sometimes you have bad days. It doesn’t really matter. What matters is how you bounce back. It’s an interesting championship and my debut, and I can’t complain over anything. I can only say it’s up from here.”

Charamba admitted to feeling nervous racing against high-profile competitors, saying, “To be honest, I was scared. This is my first time racing these guys. These are big names, but now that the race is done and I have the experience, I will just carry it forward. I know what to do and what not to do. I’ll get back to the drawing board, rest a bit, and get into the off-season.”

Charamba also praised his mentors, including Brian Dzingai and coach Ken Harnden. “Having great mentors like Brian Dzingai and my coach Ken Harnden, these guys have been lifting me up since 2021, and it’s a dream come true to make the finals and finish top 8 in the world. Nobody can take that away from me.” Kukurigo