Given that zig is also a C compiler, I'm wondering how hard would this actually be to get going as a prototype?

As an example nim has a very nice (and possibly similar) ecosystem for this:

• https://github.com/Pebaz/Nimporter
• https://github.com/yglukhov/nimpy

Of particular interest is using zig to extend Python event loop type machinery as well as an eventual march towards numerics extensions.