A city in the US has officially named September 3rd Tapiwanashe Makarawu Day in honor of the Zimbabwean sprinter’s strong performance at the Paris Olympics.
On Tuesday, Sam Cobb, the Mayor of Hobbs, New Mexico, announced the special day.
He presented the proclamation to Deron Clark, who is the Director of Athletics at New Mexico Junior College. Makarawu has been studying there since 2022.
“Tapiwanashe Makarawu, who is called ‘Carlie’ by his friends, achieved 6th place in the Men’s 200-meter race at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. While he didn’t win a medal, finishing sixth in the world is an amazing feat. He comes from Zimbabwe, and he mentioned that getting to the Olympics required a lot of hard work,”Mayor Cobb said.
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“So, I, Sam D. Cobb, Mayor of Hobbs, New Mexico, officially declare September 3rd, 2024, as TAPIWANASHE MAKARAWU Day in Hobbs to celebrate his impressive achievement,” he added.
The olympian expressed his excitement for the honor and his commitment to making a positive impact. He also conveyed his deep gratitude for the recognition and his sense of humility.
“Thank you for this recognition. I’m truly grateful and humbled,” he said.
The Zimbabwe Olympic Committee also celebrated the news:
“🎉 HISTORY MADE! Hobbs, New Mexico, declares Tapiwanashe Makarawu Day! Honoring our Zimbabwean sprint star’s accomplishments on and off the track!”
Makarawu, known as “Carlie,” joined New Mexico Junior College two years ago and recently graduated. He will now move to the University of Kentucky in the US to study Psychology and compete in NCAA Division 1 track events.
