Carlie Makarawu Advances to the Olympic 200m Semi-Final

Tapiwanashe (Carlie) Makarawu breezed through the finish line in 20.07 to secure a spot in the 200m Olympic Semi-Final on Wednesday, Aug. 7 at 12:02 p.m. MDT.

"The first thing I did before I got on the blocks was say 'Thank you God'," Makarawu said. "Then I took a deep breath and told myself, it's time. I blocked out everything. All the noise from the stadium, I didn't hear anything."

Makarawu did get a chance to soak in the moment. The energy from inside the Stade de France was unlike anything Carlie has experienced in his time on the track.

"The atmosphere was great. The tunnel was a bit darker and then coming out into the stadium it was so bright," Makarawu said. "There were so many fans in the stadium, and I looked around and went 'oh my'. It was packed. I knew there were so many people watching back home and in the stadium, my only thought was I need to get through to the Semi-Final."

The Zimbabwean got off the blocks with a solid reaction time of .157. Makarawu rounded the turn in Lane 3, where he was able to slingshot himself into a three-way dead heat with fellow competitors Erriyon Knighton and Shaun Maswanganyi.

Knighton and Makarawu broke away from Maswanganyi with 30m to go in the race. Knighton crossed the line in 19.99, which was .08 seconds faster than Makarawu's 20.07. The duo appeared to pull up with about five meters before the finish in order to preserve energy for the Semi-Finals on Wednesday. 

"I was a little bit frustrated with the lane assignment, but Coach Henry told me to not go out there and do something that could cause an injury," Makarawu said.

The race did go to script for the former Thunderbird track & field star.  

"So my plan was to chase Erriyon and if I chase him then I know I am in the race because he is so fast," Makarawu said. "So, I did exactly that and then from the curve he was right by my side. I was like 'what', so I tried to push him for 30-40m and then I said alright I'll let him go. I looked across and saw the guy from Houston (Maswanganyi). I was looking for him because I know he was fast too. Then I pumped my arms again and I was in front of him when I checked near the finish line." 

Carlie's time of 20.07 was the fourth-fastest time of Round 1 and would've won four of the six heats in the first round. Also of note is that 5-of-6 runners who raced out of Lane 3 moved on to the Semi-Final.

The 20.07 is the fourth-fastest time of his career with his top time coming in April's Corky/Crofoot Shootout where he finished sub-20 at 19.93.

For those wondering, yes Carlie's phone still works but he is receiving hundreds of messages. It can be hard to keep up with all the support.  

"My phone was vibrating all night from notifications and messages," Makarawu said. "I had to turn it off so I could fall asleep." 

Makarawu's compatriot from Zimbabwe Makanakaishe Charamba of Auburn University also made the 200m Semi-Final with a second-place finish of 20.27 in Heat 3. 

"Yeah, seeing Makanakaishe qualify did relax me a bit, because his heat didn't go crazy fast. They were so relaxed. The times were just normal," Makarawu said. "I was like, 'okay, okay', I think I can run those times and move on."        

There will be three heats in the 200m Semi-Final with the top-8 advancing to the final on Thursday, Aug. 8 at 12:30 p.m. MDT inside the Stade de France. The top two runners from each heat and top two times after will make up the eight competitors in the final.

The 2024 NMJC graduate will be in Heat 3 running in Lane 7 with American Erriyon Knighton whom he ran alongside in Round 1. 

"Going into the same race again with Erriyon who will be in front of me, I know he will run a good race," Makarawu said. "But he knows me now because after the race he said 'I saw you boy' so he now knows I'm going to be chasing him in the Semi-Final." 

Makarawu has the second-fastest time this season of the competitors in Heat 3 with his time of 19.93 from April. Knighton has the top time this season for the Heat 3 racers with a finish of 19.77.

"I'm pretty sure tomorrow he will go out fast so I will just follow him again like I did in Round 1 since he is in the lane next to me," Makarawu said. "I know Joseph Fahnbulleh is really fast so I will try and run away from him and chase Erriyon. If I use this strategy and prepare my mind mentally to know what my target is I will have a chance at making the final."

Makarawu stated that his Lane 7 assignment in the Semi-Final was 'a gift from God' after he received difficult lane assignments all summer in his races in Africa and Round 1 of the 200m.   

"I told my parents going into this to pray for me that I get Lane 7 in Round 1 and I didn't get it," Makarawu said. "Now I have the Lane 7 assignment in the Semi-Finals that my parents and I prayed for, so I am so happy. I am more comfortable running a shorter shape distance from the outside lane than a longer shape distance from the inside lanes."  

Makarawu does have a message for everyone who has supported him and continues to support him throughout his Olympic journey. 

"To know there are people out there who really support you, really are behind you, it really means a lot to me. I'm honored, and I'm really excited to have those kind of people around me," Makarawu said. "I'm just another kid from Zimbabwe, a kid from JUCO from NMJC, but it's given me excitement and happiness to know that there are people out there who appreciate what I do and appreciate my hard work." 

The support from fans, friends, and family has been worldwide for Makarawu and that has provided the fuel he has needed during the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"I think it's going to boost my confidence and push me to be faster tomorrow because I know I'm not running for myself," Makarawu said. "I'm also running for those people who support me, for those people who are always behind me, who are always supporting me with everything that I need, like my parents, my coaches, my friends, my country, and everyone at NMJC. I have to do it for them, not to be selfish and do it for me only." 

"Tomorrow I'm just going to run the Semi-Finals as a final," Makarawu said. "I want to give it my all for everyone who has supported me and hopefully I am rewarded."

Carlie Makarawu will get his shot at making an Olympic Final in the 200m when competes in the Semi-Final on Wednesday, Aug. 7 at 12:02 p.m. MDT inside the Stade de France. The race will be televised live on NBC/Peacock.