The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
HE is in the current Top 10 African Youth Ranking for the 100m and 200m sprint events.
He is also Zimbabwe’s national champion for both age groups.
As if that was enough, he holds the fastest record of a 100m time ever been run by an Under-18 male athlete in Zimbabwe after clocking 10.57 seconds in the 100m event at the recently held Zambia Meet.
His name is Panashe Nhenga! The 17-year-old former Baring Primary School learner, who is now doing his Lower Sixth studies at Hillcrest College, met the standards for the World Under-20 Championships held in Colombia and African Senior Championships held in Mauritius.
Both events were held this year. Panashe’s nimble footedness on the track is not the only God-given talent that the budding world class athlete possesses.
Panashe is also intelligent in class as well after scooping a cool nine As in his Cambridge O-Level exams.
And now, Panashe has set sights on next month’s regional competition in Malawi. National Athletics Association for Zimbabwe (NAAZ) head coach for junior and youth, Briad Nhubu said: “We will be having our Manicaland champion in sprints participating in the Malawi regional competition. Panashe Nhenga will be part of Team Zimbabwe as well as Anesu Makuwatsine from Hillcrest College.
“Panashe will participate in 100m, 200m and relays, while Anesu will be going for 110m and 400 m hurdles. We have high hopes of a good showing from them in Malawi.
“Nhenga is now riding on the vast international experience from the Africa Senior championships and the World Athletics Under-20 Cali/Colombia.
“Denzel Simusiyalela from Bulawayo has also been picked to represent Zimbabwe in the regional extravaganza. I am optimistic that his Cali experience will see him sailing through to greater heights in this competition in Malawi.”
In a separate interview, Panashe said: “I want to thank God and I am elated to be donning the green colours once again at the Regional games coming up next month.
“I have been working hard for the event and continue to do so knowing that hard work never disappoints. Besides being one of the youngest people to be at the Regional games, with the experience I got from the World Junior Championships and African Senior Championships, I am hoping to be on the podium in both the 100m and 200m events.
“But if all doesn’t go as expected, the nation will understand that I am still young. I am also confident that the Zimbabwe athletics team will bring back medals and continue raising the flag of Zimbabwe.”
About his international exposure, Panashe said: “Although I haven’t won anything at the World Championship or African Champions, I have met the standards for World Under-20 Championships and African Senior Championships.
“However, I have won one gold medal and one bronze medal at the Zambia International meet. I have also won 100m and 200m events at the Botswana Youth National Championships.”
This is the story of a promising world class sprinter born, raised and trained in the undulating terrain of the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe!
