adminCollete Mukome
21-YEAR-OLD Tendai Manyera’s promising career in boxing has suddenly become a nightmare as he is failing to access medication after he unexpectedly started experiencing intense pain on his swollen right leg. The 3 Brigade budding boxer is watching in agony as chances to showcase his skills in the ring are passing. “I took part in the Borrowdale Brook tournament and lost to Tatenda Paradza, a talented fighter in the Midlands province.
“However, after that bout, I was chosen to take part at the All Africa games in Namibia in May this year. “Things did not go down well with me when I was preparing for my journey. I started to have leg pains and I couldn’t wear shoes because of a swollen right leg. Though my coaches tried to put more effort in seeking medication, I couldn’t travel in that state.
“I am having financial problems to go for medication. From that period I am a having problems with the swollen right leg and I am afraid that this might affect my career,” he said. Manyera felt that by failing to take part in the All Africa games in Namibia in May this year he lost a golden opportunity where he was going to establish himself in the region.
“It is common and natural among us that one could suspect that someone is against my achievements in the boxing sector. I never had leg problems from my childhood and after I was selected to go to Namibia this is when it started, he adds.
“I feel I can be the best in my category in the country and I still want a rematch with Paradza, whom I feel he can inspire me to greater heights,” he said. Interestingly, Manyera, who is now looking forward for better times in boxing, was once a soccer player on note.
He won several awards in the football. Manyera made waves in high school soccer as well as in community junior football tournaments before he discovered his real talent is in boxing. “I am really proud of myself being in boxing. I once lost hope when I quit football in 2012 due to financial problems. I could not afford to pay for my accommodation when I was playing for Black Rhinos since I am an orphan.
“I am now a best boxer in my category since I joined 3 Brigade Club in 2013, which is a boxing team for Zimbabwe National Army members.
“At 3 Brigade club there are certain groups of weights where people practise. The groups include light weight, bantam weight, further weight, and heavy weight and I am always a winner in the bantam weight. It gives me hope that I will be one of the best fighters in the country in future.
“Among the 30 members in the club, I got an opportunity to represent the club at a tournament in March which was held in Chegutu. I managed to scoop the first place,’’ he said.
Online Reporter