Leeford “Monya” Zuze won the men’s 400m race on Friday at the XVI Certame Atletico “Disfida di Barletta” in Barletta, Italy, clocking 45.28 seconds. He finished ahead of fellow Zimbabwean Dennis Bradley Hove, who placed second in 45.82 seconds, while Brazil’s Vinicius Moura Galeno took third in 45.90 seconds.
The race saw Zuze control the final stages, securing victory in a closely contested finish.
Speaking to ZimNow, Zuze said he appreciated the support behind his European tour, describing it as a dream realized. He noted that coming from Chirumhanzu to compete in Europe has strengthened his motivation and said his long-term goal is to compete at the Olympic Games and aim for Olympic gold.
Zuze’s win adds to his achievements this season, following success at the African Championships in Accra, Ghana, where he won gold in the 4×400m relay and bronze in the 400m. He was also part of Zimbabwe’s 4×400m relay team that moved up to 5th in the world rankings after performances at the World Relays in Botswana, securing qualification for the 2027 World Athletics Relays in Beijing.
His European schedule continues with upcoming competitions including the XXXIX Meeting Internazionale Atletica Leggera in Avellino (8 July), the Meeting Sport e Solidarietà in Lignano Sabbiadoro (8 July, waiting list), the Guldensporenmeeting in Kortrijk, Belgium (11 July), and the Spitzen Leichtathletik Luzern in Switzerland (16 July).
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