IT is rare in Zimbabwean sport these days that the country gets days to celebrate and remember like the one that Tapiwa Makarau and Makanaka Charamba gave the nation on July 7, 2024.
Yes, Charamba and Makarau might not have brought back home a medal but what they did in raising the country's flag and the nation's spirit was success enough and a medal in itself.
Forget that Makarau finished sixth and Charamba eighth in the final won by Botswana's Letsile Tebogo, what is important is the joy they brought to Zimbabweans.
The two ' boys ' made the whole world sit up and take notice of the sporting talent that lies in the small southern African country by gate crashing into the final of the 200 metres at the Paris Olympics.
We say 'gate crashing' because nobody - including even their closest admirers — expected them to be in the field of the elite eight 200 metre sprinters the world over.
Not only that. They also made proud the name of the country Zimbabwe by providing the second highest number of 200 metre finalists apart from the USA which had four.
Botswana and the Dominican Republic had one each while athletes from rich nations like Great Britain, Germany, France, Spain, Belgium, South Africa, the Netherlands, and others, all fell by the wayside.
Former Zimbabwe international sprinter Partson Muderedzi who was the team manager of the Zimbabwe athletics team for the Africa Games sums up what the Paris showing means to Zimbabwe.
"We at the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe are proud of what Charamba and Makarau have done. They have made the world out there see what Zimbabwe is really made of. Although they did now win any medals, the fact remains that everyone is talking about Zimbabwe," says Muderedzi.
For the record, the 100 and 200 metre events are the most followed Olympic athletics competitions the world over and have produced such iconic figures as Jesse Owens, Carl Lewis, and of late, Usain Bolt.
Apart from encouraging Zimbabwean youngsters to take up athletics, Charamba and Makarau's exploits in Paris will also help to inspire those already in the sport that nothing is impossible in life.
What is even heartening is that the two, - just like the swimmers who were also in Paris - Denilson Cyprianos and Paige der Westhuizen are still young and given the chance could be ready to rock-and-roll at the 2028 Games.
What they need is to be supported between now and the next Olympic Games not to be abandoned like what happened to young swimmer Donato Katai immediately after the last Games in Tokyo.
Their mission in 2028 would be to do the Letsile Tebogo style by taking on the world and beating it and that can only be done if the authorities in political power are willing to change their attitude towards sport.
Surely, Charamba and Makarau, have benefitted heavily in terms of training from the USA collegiate system and Zimbabwe should now take advantage of the talent that has been laid bare by funding their international participation.
Zimbabwe surely has a strong foundation for the 2028 Olympics in the form of Charamba, Cyprianos, der Westhuizen and Makarau, and what is required is a continuation of where they left off in Paris.
On that premise, the government should fund their regular participation in competitions like the World Aquatics Championships, the Diamond League, and the World Athletics Championships, but without neglecting junior development back at home.
In fact, there should have been a fund to cater for such needs as - after all - these athletes are on the field more for the pride of the country as there is not much for the taking for winning.
Now that the fund is not there, the Sport minister, Kirsty Coventry, should help in setting it up as soon as possible to assist those athletes who are showing great promise.
Makarau has booked his place at the 2023 World Championships in Japan and his preparations should begin right now and Coventry and the government should play a part.
Surely, we failed to win a medal in 2012, and 2016 came and went. There was promise in 2020, while in 2024, it has been so near and yet so far.
Surely, the year 2028 should be ours to celebrate and not one to join in the celebration of the achievements of other countries likes of Botswana.
*For your views, comments and suggestions mkariati@gmail.com or WhatsApp on 0773 266 779.