Zim Senior Men Shine at Lefika Relays, Secure Spot...

Zim Senior Men Shine at Lefika Relays, Secure Spot for World Relays

Patience Muchemwa- Senior Reporter

Zimbabwe’s senior men’s 4x400m relay team secured a provisional qualification for the World Relays after delivering an outstanding performance at the Lefika Relays in Botswana on Saturday. The team finished first in the final with a time of 3:03.42.

The quartet of Muwishi Gerren, Hove Dennis, Tafa Aldrin, and Zuze Leeford not only clinched victory but also improved their world ranking. Previously ranked 36th, their performance in Botswana moved them up to 28th, securing a spot among the top 32 teams required for the World Relays, pending the closing of the qualification period on April 13.

In an interview with Zim Now, National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (NAAZ) president Tendai Tagara praised the team’s performance but emphasized the need for continued improvement.

"We are happy with their performance in this first competition, but we need even better results. The challenge is that competitive opportunities in Southern Africa are limited. The safest position is to be in the top 20 because, in the next two weeks, teams worldwide will be fighting to secure their places in the top 32. It’s a tough situation," Tagara said.

Leeford Zuze also expressed determination ahead of the next competition.

"For the upcoming race in two weeks, we are ready to fight for our ticket to the World Relays in Guangzhou, China. We are going to step up our efforts and give it our all," he said.

Zimbabwe's team will now focus on maintaining their ranking as they await the final confirmation of their qualification.