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Collin Matiza Sports Editor

IN November last year, Zimbabwe’s United States-based sprinter, Kundai Maguranyanga, dropped a bombshell at Drake University.

He announced he was quitting the Iowa-based college for Texas Christian University after spending just over a year there.

The 22-year-old had won himself a four-year athletics scholarship at Drake University after setting the 13th African Junior Athletics Championships alight in Tlemcen, Algeria, in July 2017.

He helped Zimbabwe win a gold medal in the boys 4x100m relay at that meet. His move to Drake University in January 2018 was engineered by fellow Zimbabwean, Ngonidzashe Makusha, who was then an assistant coach for sprints, hurdles and jumps at that college.

Maguranyanga was an instant hit there, winning a number of accolades, including being named the college’s Male Athlete of the Year in May 2020, following his exploits on the track during the 2019/2020 indoor and outdoor seasons.

But, in November 2019, the Harare-born sprinter shocked everyone at Drake University when he announced he was quitting the college.

He indicated he wanted to move from Iowa’s Drake University to Texas Christian University in Texas to re-unite with the man who discovered him when he was still a high school pupil at Pamushana High School in Masvingo — Darryl Anderson. He also wanted Anderson to help him to set the qualifying times in the men’s 200m for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

The young Zimbabwean sprinter was eventually given the greenlight to join Texas Christian University in January this year.

But, his dream of representing Zimbabwe at this year’s Olympic Games were partially shattered when the world’s biggest sporting extravaganza was postponed to next year due to the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus.

Maguranyanga is among hundreds of athletes worldwide who were hoping to punch their tickets to Tokyo Games.

And Maguranyanga yesterday told The Herald that he was adhering to the coronavirus-induced lockdown in the United States where 1 385 834 cases and 81 795 deaths were reported by the end of the day on Monday.

At least, 262 225 people have recovered from the virus in that country.

He is among three other Zimbabwean athletes, including Tinotenda Matiyenga and Chenge Mapaya, who are on athletics scholarships at Texas Christian University and they are all reported to be in good health.

“I’m feeling great although we haven’t had any access to proper training facilities which sucks but it’s for the best, staying home and doing indoor biking and some abs.

“For now, we will stay indoors and control the controllable,” said Maguranyanga, who is also studying for a Degree in Computer Science.

He should have been going into his fourth year at Drake University had he not changed universities in the United States. But, he feels more at home at Texas Christian University.