Team Zimbabwe finished eighth in the men’s 4x400m final at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Oregon on Sunday evening.
The quartet of Nenyasha Chihora, Emmanuel Uriga, Gift Khumalo and Ropafadzo Liberty Mzondo became the first Zimbabwean U20 4x400m team to reach a global final in the event.
Zimbabwe clocked 3:12.14 in the final, while hosts and eventual winners the United States claimed gold in 3:01.39.
Despite finishing eighth, the Zimbabwean quartet leaves the championships with plenty to celebrate after rewriting the national U20 record in the heats.
The team clocked an impressive 3:08.56 in the qualifying heats to set a new national U20 record and secure their historic place in the final.
Their performance continues a strong run of progress for Zimbabwean athletics on the international stage.
In May, the senior men’s 4x400m relay team also set a new national record of 2:59.01, providing further evidence of the country’s improving standards in relay events.