Ngonidzashe Makusha
Encyclopedia
Ngonidzashe Makusha is a Zimbabwe
an sprinter and long jump
er. He is the national record holder over 100m and Long Jump for Zimbabwe
with 9.89s (+1.3 m/s) and 8.40m (0.0 m/s) respectively. Both performances achieved during the 2011 NCAA Division I Championships in Des Moines, Iowa
where he completed the 100m long jump
double. Following the 2 gold medals victory, Makusha has becomes one of the only four athletes to win the double (100m & Long Jump) at the NCAA championships. The three others are DeHart Hubbard (1925), Jesse Owens
(1935 & 1936), and Carl Lewis
(1981).
, ran the 100 metres
in 10.64 seconds and the 200 metres
in 21.57 seconds. The next month he entered in both long jump and the 100 metres at the 2006 World Junior Championships
. In the 100 metres he reached the semi-final, where he was knocked out with a time of 10.84 seconds. He reached the final in the long jump event, but finished twelfth and last. The next year he competed at the 2007 All-Africa Games
, where he won a bronze medal in the 4 x 100 metres relay
, together with his teammates Gabriel Mvumvure, Brian Dzingai
and Lewis Banda
. He also competed in long jump and 100 metres, achieving 7.69 metres and 10.52 seconds in the two events.
. He quickly improved his long jumping, recording 7.97 metres in March in Fayetteville
. In May 2008 he finally broke the eight metre barrier, setting a new Zimbabwean record of 8.16 metres in Tallahassee, Florida
. The next month he won the NCAA Championships held in Des Moines, Iowa
. The freshman
did so with another Zimbabwean record, this time with 8.30 metres. He commented that "This is one of my dreams and it just came true". The victory was the first in any individual event at the NCAA championships for the Florida State University. It was also a best mark for the university as well as a stadium record.
Makusha then represented Zimbabwe
at the 2008 Summer Olympics
in Beijing
. In the long jump competition
he secured a place in the final round with his first qualifying jump, which measured 8.14 metres. In the final round his first jump measured 8.19 metres. With this he was in the lead until the third round, when Irving Saladino
jumped 8.21 metres. Makusha did not improve further, and was overtaken by Godfrey Khotso Mokoena
and Ibrahim Camejo
, who leapt 8.24 and 8.20 respectively.
He thus finished fourth, while Saladino won the event with 8.34 metres.
The 2008–09 indoor season saw Makusha achieving a personal best time in the 60 metres
, running in 6.68 seconds in January in Blacksburg
. In February in the same city he improved this to 6.60 seconds. He also jumped a national indoor record of 8.21 metres.
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
an sprinter and long jump
Long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
er. He is the national record holder over 100m and Long Jump for Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
with 9.89s (+1.3 m/s) and 8.40m (0.0 m/s) respectively. Both performances achieved during the 2011 NCAA Division I Championships in Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
where he completed the 100m long jump
Long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
double. Following the 2 gold medals victory, Makusha has becomes one of the only four athletes to win the double (100m & Long Jump) at the NCAA championships. The three others are DeHart Hubbard (1925), Jesse Owens
Jesse Owens
James Cleveland "Jesse" Owens was an American track and field athlete who specialized in the sprints and the long jump. He participated in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, where he achieved international fame by winning four gold medals: one each in the 100 meters, the 200 meters, the...
(1935 & 1936), and Carl Lewis
Carl Lewis
Frederick Carlton "Carl" Lewis is an American former track and field athlete, who won 10 Olympic medals including 9 gold, and 10 World Championships medals, of which 8 were gold. His career spanned from 1979 when he first achieved a world ranking to 1996 when he last won an Olympic title and...
(1981).
Early career
In July 2006 in Windhoek, Makusha achieved decent results in several events. In addition to 7.87 metres in the long jump, he jumped 14.90 metres in the triple jumpTriple jump
The triple jump is a track and field sport, similar to the long jump, but involving a “hop, bound and jump” routine, whereby the competitor runs down the track and performs a hop, a bound and then a jump into the sand pit.The triple jump has its origins in the Ancient Olympics and has been a...
, ran the 100 metres
100 metres
The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896...
in 10.64 seconds and the 200 metres
200 metres
A 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first...
in 21.57 seconds. The next month he entered in both long jump and the 100 metres at the 2006 World Junior Championships
2006 World Junior Championships in Athletics
The 2006 World Junior Championships in Athletics is the 2006 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held from 15 August to 20 August at the Chaoyang Sports Center in Beijing, the capital of the People's Republic of China....
. In the 100 metres he reached the semi-final, where he was knocked out with a time of 10.84 seconds. He reached the final in the long jump event, but finished twelfth and last. The next year he competed at the 2007 All-Africa Games
Athletics at the 2007 All-Africa Games
The athletics competition at the 2007 All-Africa Games was held on the Stade 5 Juillet 1962 in Algiers, Algeria between 18 July and 22 July 2007. Nigeria was the most successful nation of the competition having won nine golds and 24 medals in total. South Africa was a close second with seven golds...
, where he won a bronze medal in the 4 x 100 metres relay
4 x 100 metres relay
The 4 × 100 metres relay or sprint relay is an athletics track event run in lanes over one lap of the track with four runners completing 100 metres each. The first runners begin in the same stagger as for the individual 400 m race...
, together with his teammates Gabriel Mvumvure, Brian Dzingai
Brian Dzingai
Brian Dzingai is a Zimbabwean Olympic sprinter who specializes in the 200 metres. He ran to his personal best time of 20.12 seconds in June 2004 at Austin. This is the current Zimbabwean record. He is an Old Georgian, and attended St George's College, Harare in Harare, Zimbabwe...
and Lewis Banda
Lewis Banda
Lewis Simon Banda is a Zimbabwean sprinter who specializes in the 400 metres.His personal best time is 44.58 seconds, achieved in May 2004 in Tucson. This is the current Zimbabwean record. The same year he reached the semi-finals of the Olympic Games.-Achievements:-References:*...
. He also competed in long jump and 100 metres, achieving 7.69 metres and 10.52 seconds in the two events.
International breakthrough
For the 2007–08 indoor season, he enrolled at the Florida State UniversityFlorida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
. He quickly improved his long jumping, recording 7.97 metres in March in Fayetteville
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville is the county seat of Washington County, and the third largest city in Arkansas. The city is centrally located within the county and is home to the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is also deep in the Boston Mountains, a subset of The Ozarks...
. In May 2008 he finally broke the eight metre barrier, setting a new Zimbabwean record of 8.16 metres in Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
. The next month he won the NCAA Championships held in Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
. The freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
did so with another Zimbabwean record, this time with 8.30 metres. He commented that "This is one of my dreams and it just came true". The victory was the first in any individual event at the NCAA championships for the Florida State University. It was also a best mark for the university as well as a stadium record.
Makusha then represented Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Zimbabwe sent a team to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.Zimbabwe sent thirteen athletes to Beijing, competing in swimming, athletics, tennis, cycling, triathlon, and rowing...
at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. In the long jump competition
Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's long jump
-Qualifying round:Qualifying Performance 8.15 or at least 12 best performers advance to the Final.-Final:DNS — Did Not StartNM — No Mark...
he secured a place in the final round with his first qualifying jump, which measured 8.14 metres. In the final round his first jump measured 8.19 metres. With this he was in the lead until the third round, when Irving Saladino
Irving Saladino
Irving Jahir Saladino Aranda is a Panamanian long jumper. He is the current Olympic champion, and Panama's first and only Olympic gold medallist.Saladino was born in Colón, Panama....
jumped 8.21 metres. Makusha did not improve further, and was overtaken by Godfrey Khotso Mokoena
Godfrey Khotso Mokoena
Godfrey Khotso Mokoena is a South African athlete who specializes in the long jump and triple jump.-Early Life and Family:...
and Ibrahim Camejo
Ibrahim Camejo
Ibrahim Camejo is a Cuban long jumper.He won the bronze medals at the 2005 Central American and Caribbean Championships and the 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games. He then won the more prestigious bronze medal at the 2008 Olympic Games...
, who leapt 8.24 and 8.20 respectively.
He thus finished fourth, while Saladino won the event with 8.34 metres.
The 2008–09 indoor season saw Makusha achieving a personal best time in the 60 metres
60 metres
60 metres is a sprint event in track and field athletics. It is a championship event for indoor championships, normally dominated by the best outdoor 100 metres runners. At outdoor venues it is a rare distance, at least for senior athletes...
, running in 6.68 seconds in January in Blacksburg
Blacksburg, Virginia
Blacksburg is an incorporated town located in Montgomery County, Virginia, United States, with a population of 42,620 at the 2010 census. Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Radford are the three principal jurisdictions of the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford Metropolitan Statistical Area which...
. In February in the same city he improved this to 6.60 seconds. He also jumped a national indoor record of 8.21 metres.