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Finally, Makusha returns

Sport
NGONIDZASHE MAKUSHA, the United States-based Zimbabwe track and field star, is set to make a long-awaited comeback to competitive athletics

NGONIDZASHE MAKUSHA, the United States-based Zimbabwe track and field star, is set to make a long-awaited comeback to competitive athletics tomorrow after almost 10 months on the sidelines due to injury.

SPORTS REPORTER

The 26-year-old national 100m and long jump record holder will compete in the long jump at the 34th Florida State University relays in what will be his first competitive athletics meet since suffering an Achilles injury last May.

The injury prevented Makusha – a bright Olympic medal prospect — from making his second appearance at the Olympic Games in London after making his debut in 2008.

The IAAF World Athletics Championships bronze medallist, who represented Florida State University before turning professional, is set to be one of the biggest attractions at the two-day meet which will take place at the Mike Long Track on the Florida State campus.

Florida State University, also home to promising long jumper Paul Madzivire and former Zimbabwean athletes Brian Dzingai and Ken Harden, confirmed Makusha’s comeback on their official website yesterday.

“No fewer than nine 2012 Olympians are set to compete over the weekend, including former Seminoles Kimberly Williams (Jamaica, triple jump), Gonzalo Barroilhet (Chile, decathlon), Lacy Harper (USA, pole vault) and 2008 Olympian Rafeeq Curry (USA, triple jump).

“The meet will also serve as the return of former Seminole All-American and 2011 Bowerman Award winner Ngoni Makusha, who will compete in the long jump for the first time since suffering an Achilles injury last spring, which prevented him from representing Zimbabwe in the Olympics for a second time.”

Florida State coach Bob Braman welcomed the presence of top athletes like Makusha at the meet, saying it would be a positive influence of the university’s upcoming athletes.

“I think it’s going to be a great experience for the high school kids to be around the best teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference, but also the Olympians and great kids we have here at Florida State, and compete in the same arena,” Braman said.

It was at Florida State University that Makusha announced his arrival at the world stage with a breathtaking display at the 2011 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Championships in Des Moines, Iowa where he completed the 100 m long jump double.

Following the two gold medal haul Makusha became one of the only four athletes in history to win the double (100 m and Long Jump) at the NCAA championships. The three others are DeHart Hubbard (1925), Jesse Owens (1935 and 1936), and Carl Lewis (1981).

Three years earlier at the Beijing Olympics, Makusha had come within a whisker of winning the country’s first ever Olympic track and field medal after finishing fourth in the long jump.