Collin Matiza Sports Editor
PROMISING Zimbabwean hurdler Panashe Majuru was on Saturday left cursing his bad luck after he failed to finish the men’s 400m hurdles due to an injury during the International Flanders track and field meet in Oordegem, Belgium.
Featuring in a strong field that included other top international hurdlers from the United States, Jamaica, Great Britain, France, the Netherlands and Belgium, Panashe (21) failed to make it into the finals of the men’s 400m hurdles after injuring his leg in the qualifying heats.
Speaking frOm Amsterdam, Netherlands, yesterday, Majuru said he knocked the seventh hurdle and fell down, resulting in him injuring his leg which saw him failing to finish the race.
“Unfortunately, I couldn’t finish my race on Saturday as I knocked the seventh hurdle and fell down during the race and injured myself . . . My big toe couldn’t move. (But) I went to (see) the doctor yesterday (on Sunday) and was given three recovery days, so hopefully I will run on May 30 but am not sure yet,” Majuru said.
He had arrived in Oordegem oozing with confidence after taking a credible third place in another international track and field meet in Lisse, Netherlands, the previous Saturday.
In Lisse, Majuru took part in the Ter Specke Bokaal track and field meet a day after he had arrived from Zimbabwe and he did extremely well to finish the men’s 400m hurdles event in third place in 53.57 seconds.
And Majuru was looking for another podium place at the International Flanders meet in Oordegem but that was not to be as bad luck struck him and had to hobble out of the race with a leg injury.
Majuru is running in the European circuit courtesy of an invitation from Dutchman Peter Wolters, the director and head coach of the Dutch-based Milers Foundation.
His invitation was engineered by former Zimbabwean top sprinter and Olympian Lloyd Zvasiya, who is now based in the UK, and is a close friend of Wolters, who is a top Dutch track and field coach.
After injuring his leg in Oordegem on Saturday, Majuru is now hoping for a speedy recovery and compete in the Harry Schulting Games in Vught, Netherlands, on Thursday.