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Tadious Manyepo in LILONGWE, Malawi

THEY are amongst some of the most talented in Team Zimbabwe. Yet, they have never really got the much-needed exposure. They failed to compete in the African Union Sports Council Region 5 Games in Lesotho last year for varying reasons.

Thelma Majinjiwa (18) had not received her second Covid-19 vaccination jab.

Linnete Zembe (19) didn’t have a passport.

Ossly Murambidzi (19) was outside the age range needed. And for sometime, as they separately admitted, they contemplated quitting athletics. But, the urge to do well and print their names in the history books kept them going. They have all found a way to be in the Zimbabwe athletics team to compete in the AUSC Region 5 Youth Games underway in Lilongwe, Malawi.

Team Zimbabwe have given a good account of themselves since the Games started last week. And Majinjiwa, Zembe and Murambidzi know this is an opportunity for them stand up and be counted.

They have been yearning for this chance and they are ready to take it.

Majinjiwa, who is the best 400m female runner in Zimbabwe, will compete in her favourite race as well as in the 800m.

The Lomagundi College learner said it was a dream for her to compete in a platform of this magnitude.

“I am very grateful to be part of Team Zimbabwe in the Region 5 Youth Games.

“The last time I was supposed to go and compete in Lesotho but I had not received my second Covid-19 vaccination jab,” said Majinjiwa. “It was very disappointing to say the least but you know these things do happen.

“I wanted to quit but then I got a scholarship at Lomagundi College and you know what that does. “I kept my focus and concentration and here I am. I have set my goals on winning medals in the races I am competing in and make Zimbabwe proud.

“The opportunity I have always craved for is here and I can’t mess it up. I will leave everything in the track.”

For Murambidzi, the pain of missing out in Lesotho last year is still evident.

Only athletes who were 17 and Under travelled to Maseru while Murambidzi, who was 18 then, had to step aside.

She is running 3000m and 5000m races in this meet.  Murambidzi is the reigning Tanganda half-marathon and Vumba marathon champion and she is hoping to take the form into the AUSC Region Games.

“It all comes to hard work, if I can say. I have put in the work. I was so disappointed to miss the AUSC Region 5 Games last time. I was cursing Covid-19 because those Games were supposed to have been held in 2020 when I was 17-years-old.

“But, I am happy I am here and I am prepared to finally make an impact at this level,” said Murambidzi.

“I am working on not only winning my races but also to improve my times.”

Sprinter and long-jumper Zembe is keen to make a loud statement.

“I am competing in short-distance races, including the 100m hurdles, which I have been specialising in since sometime back.

“I have won so many international accolades in this event before.

“I am looking forward to winning again here,” said Zembe.

“I am also competing in long jump. I was disappointed to miss out last year. I was qualified to go to Lesotho but my travel documents were not intact so I had to remain home. I was pained a lot but this is a second chance and I can’t afford to lose in my categories. I am here to win the medals and nothing else. I have a whole career ahead of me and have to launch it here.”

While the athletes, who start their races today, are oozing confidence, other sport codes are also doing remarkably well.

Swimming, which has contributed about 25 percent of Team Zimbabwe’s haul of 28 medals, had scheduled finals late yesterday with local swimmers expected to add more medals.

The volleyball boys team is well on course to add another medal for the country after they advanced to the semi-finals with a 3-0 hammering of Botswana yesterday.

The netball team, the Young Gems, however need to win against South Africa today to be able to play the gold match after they were held to a 43-43 draw by Namibia yesterday.

The draw came at the back of a defeat to Malawi on Tuesday, a result which left the Simba Mlambo-coached team on the edge.