Makusha leaps to 8.30m national mark

Zimbabwe's Florida State University freshman Ngonidzashe Makusha has broken his national Long Jump record after soaring to a huge 8.30 metres leap - the fourth-best jump in the world this year, the best in FSU history and the best Drake Stadium has ever seen - to earn FSU the first individual crown of the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Des Moines, Iowa - USA.

Makusha, who is also the NCAA indoor champion, has now surpassed the Olympics A Standard qualifying mark of 8,20m and thus receives an automatic bid to represent Zimbabwe in Beijing 2008.

He would be joined on the train to Beijing by other Zimbabwean athletes who have either set an A or B Standard qualifying time or mark for the games in the Team Zimbabwe camp such as US based sprinters Brian Dzinga and Malvin Bonde.

'History books'

Makusa's selection for the Long Jump puts him in the history books right on the heels of triple jumper Ndabezinhle Mdlongwa who was the first athlete to represent Zimbabwe in the field events at the Olympic Games.

Mdlongwa, a former Africa triple jump record holder, became the first athlete to represent Zimbabwe in the field events at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain,

An elated Makusa said: "This is really important for me because I broke my country's record today. It makes me feel really good going to the Olympics.

"I've been working really hard with coach (Dennis) Nobles, working really hard on my technique."

"I was feeling really comfortable as I was coming towards the board and everything was right to the point. I think I'm starting to put some things together." he added.