4 T-Birds Represent NMJC in Tokyo

The Thunderbirds have a quartet of former T-Birds competing at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan Sept. 12-21 on NBC Peacock.

Olympian Tapiwanashe Carlie Makarawu leads the pack alongside Djimon Gumbs, Bovel McPherson, and Tim Tuna. 

Djimon Gumbs is the first Thunderbird competing on Friday, Sept. 12 at 7:55 p.m. MDT. Technically it will be Saturday, Sept. 13 in Tokyo when he competes but it will be a day prior in America. Gumbs is a shot putter who represents the British Virgin Islands and attended NMJC from 2019-21.

Bovel McPherson is the second T-Bird in Japan this weekend. He will race in both the mixed 4x400m relay and in the 400m for team Jamaica. The 4x400m relay first round is Friday, Sept. 12 at 8:40 p.m. MDT. 

Depending on form, he would then race again Sunday, Sept. 13 at 3:35 a.m. MDT in the 400m first round. McPherson attended NMJC from 2023-25.

The final two T-Birds, Tapiwanashe Carlie Makarawu and Tim Tuna, compete in the first round of the 200m Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 5:15 a.m. MDT.

Makarawu was a 2024 Olympic finalist for Zimbabwe in the 200m and a 2024 NMJC graduate. Tuna is entering his sophomore year at NMJC as a representative of Papua New Guinea (PNG). 

The competition can be watched online at NBC Peacock. The full schedule and results can be found here.