Ellina Mhlanga in NAIROBI, Kenya
THE IAAF World Under-18 championships entered day two yesterday with Zimbabwe’s athletes having mixed fortunes at the Kasarani Stadium here as Alfred Chawonza bowed out of the 800m semi-finals.

Chawonza was among the 16 athletes that made it to the semi-finals on Wednesday, but found the going tough yesterday when he came eighth in the first heat of the semi-finals in a time of 1minute 55.77seconds.

Although he was not able to sail through to the finals, Chawonza said his participation in the Under-18 world meet has given him the exposure.

“It is a great experience competing with people from all over the world. “It’s different from competing in the Southern Region and coming first in the competition.

“But coming out here you are competing with people who have as much talent as you have and it comes down to who has put in more work. And I guess these guys were putting in that extra hour,” said Chawonza.

Ethiopia’s Melese Nberet was first in 1min 51.50sec while Charaf Zahir of Morocco came second in 1min 51.66sec. Juan Diego Castro of Costa Rica followed in third place in 1min 51.68sec to proceed to the finals.

While Chawonza is now out of the race for a place in the finals, in the girls 800m Vimbai Maisvoreva advanced to today’s semi-finals after finishing first in heat two, in 2min 11.09sec, setting her personal best time.

Her previous personal best time was 2min 12.94sec. Maisvoreva had come second behind Ethiopia’s Netsanet Desta, but the latter was disqualified and she took over the first position.

“It was tough, but I had to push myself to set my personal best and also qualify for the semi-finals. I wasn’t really afraid, I knew I could make it. So tomorrow I am hoping to qualify for the finals.

“So far so good, I just need to keep on working hard and not give up because if I do that then I will lose. I have to believe in myself that I can be among the top,” said Maisvoreva.

Arage Mutombo, who was also competing in 800m, could not make it into the next round after she came fifth in heat one with a time of 2min 19.19 sec. “The race was fair although I could not qualify, but I think I did my best. I will continue working hard to improve my time and also during my training and I need to have a target in terms of the time I want to run,” said Mutombo.

The heat was won by Kenya’s Lydia Jeruto in 2min 10.37sec, followed by Morocco’s Chaimae Ismaili on second position in 2min 13.15sec. In third place was Andreea-Raissa Hojda of Romania with a time of 2min 14.42sec.

Sprinters Donovan Mutariswa and Tapiwa Makarawu are up for the boys 200m event today and they are both eyeing to go beyond the heats.

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