ZIMBABWEAN track and field athletes dominated the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Indoor Track & Field National Awards, winning three of the four post-season awards announced by the US Track & Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on Wednesday.
The USTFCCCA honoured athletes who excelled during the just-ended indoor season following the conclusion of the NJCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships, which were held last weekend at the Washburn Indoor Athletic Facility in Topeka, Kansas.
Zimbabwe was well-represented on the winners’ list with three winners in Kudakwashe Chadenga, Privilege Chikara and Tapiwanashe Makarawu, as the country’s future stars continue to make an impact in the US.
Rising high jump star Chadenga was named the National Men’s Field Athlete of the Year for the 2023 NJCAA Indoor Track & Field season.
Chadenga, who is in his second season at South Plains College in Tezas, equalled the NJCAA indoor record in the high jump with a new Zimbabwe national record 2,26m clearance at the Corky Classic in January.
He capped his campaign with a national title at the 2023 NJCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships in Topeka, Kansas, at 2,23m — just one of his five clearances at that height or higher this winter and no other NJCAA athlete has ever had more than one in a single season.
Sprinter Makarawu, who is on a scholarship at New Mexico Junior College, was named the National Men’s Track Athlete of the Year for the 2023 NJCAA Indoor Track & Field season.
Makarawu, who represented Zimbabwe at the World Athletics U18 Youth Championships in Kenya five years ago, was a double winner at the 2023 NJCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships in Kansas.
He won the 60 metres dash in a seasonal-best of 6,63 seconds and the 200 metres in 20.51 seconds, then split 45,45 — fastest of the meet — on the second leg of the New Mexico Junior College’s 4×400 relay, which finished second in 3:07.26.
His 200 time of 20.51 was the number three performance in NJCAA history, just behind his seasonal best of 20,47 that rates him number two all-time.
Another Zimbabwean award winner on Wednesday was middle-distance runner Chikara, who was named the National Women’s Track Athlete of the Year.
Chikara, who only arrived in the US two months ago on a track and field scholarship, won the 800 metres and mile at the 2023 NJCAA Indoor Track & Championships.
She clocked NJCAA-leading times in both events – 2:12.73 in the 800 and 5:00.11 in the mile.
Entering the NJCAA Indoor Championships, Chikara ranked number four in both events at 2:16.10 and 5:09.15, respectively.
Zimbabwe was unlucky to miss out on a clean sweep after Vimbayi Maisvoreva was also in the running for an award after winning the women’s 400 metres title at the weekend.
The former Hillcrest College student, who is on a scholarship at Cloud County Community College in Kansas clinched the 400m title in an impressive time of 53,50 seconds which made her number three all-time in NJCAA history.
