Simwaka misses Olympics’ semi-final again
Short-distance athlete Asimenye Simwaka yesterday kept Malawi’s hope alive for a moment at the Paris Olympic Games after qualifying for the first round of 100 metres race only to stumble against some of the world best splinters in the battle for the semi-finals.
Simwaka qualified for the first round after finishing on second position in preliminary round, clocking 11:78 in heat four at Stade France.
Zahira Allers-Liburd of Saint Kitts and Nevis won heat four in 11:73 while Mariandree Chacon of Guatemala finished third in 11:90.
Simwaka, who was competing on solidarity, having failed to qualify, finished eighth out of nine in heat one after clocking 11:91.
The world’s fastest female short distance athlete, 24-year-old Sha’carri Richardson of USA, easily won the race in a record 10:94.
Luxembourg’s Patrizia Van Der Weken followed from a distance at 11:14 while third-placed Australian Bree Master clocked 11:26.
Despite the result, Simwaka in an interview said she was proud to make it past the preliminary round.
Simwaka’s coach Pachisi Nyasulu also hailed the athlete for a gallant fight against the best of the best.
Team Malawi chef de mission Naomi Chinatu in an interview said Simwaka tried her best.
She said: “She tried her best that’s all what we can say and we thank God for the opportunity to be part of the world event.”
Athletics Malawi president Kondwani Chamwala also had same sentiments.
He said: “It is a difficult competition, but she has what it takes. Determination and, of course, she is there for one reason, to make Malawi proud.”
The Paris Olympics is the second appearance for Simwaka, having debuted in Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games where she also advanced to the first round.
Simwaka won bronze medal in the 200m at the 2024 African Championships and improved her national records to 11.35 in the 100m and 22.91 in the 200m.
The 26-year-old was also 2022 Commonwealth Games 400m finalist (sixth), setting a national record of 51.55.
Meanwhile, female swimmer Tayamika Chang’anamuno, who is a four-year Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Programme recipient at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, Hungary, is today expected to be the last Malawi participant as she competes in 50m freestyle.
Swimmer Filipe Gomes started Malawi’s campaign on Thursday but failed to qualify after finishing 49 out of 74 in men’s 50m freestyle.
Gomes, was returning to the Games after he also participated at Tokyo 2020 Olympic.
