Like fine wine, Makwala mellows with age

Makwala engraved his name into athletics history books when he qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in two disciplines of 200m and 400m over the weekend.

To the 34-year-old, it was more than just qualifying for the biggest sporting tournament in the world. It was about pushing boundaries and demonstrating that age was nothing but a number. Normally, there are early bloomers in sprints who reach their peak in their 20s and then start to hit a decline. But with Makwala it has been the opposite as he hits the accelerator at the ripe age of 34. It is a stage where most athletes, except for a few, will be winding their careers, while it is also a stage when most are prone to injuries.