Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIMBABWE Karate Union have hailed their team for an impressive show at the 1st Kyokushin Kenbukaikan World Championship staged over the weekend in Lusaka, Zambia.
ZKU sent 30 participants to the championship, which began with some seminars and training sessions.
They won seven gold, five silver and two bronze medals across the different categories.
ZKU president Tawanda Mufundisi attributed the success to good preparations.
“The team performed extremely well. They seemed very prepared for it and they did very well,” said Mufundisi.
However, he believes they could even better their performance with more exposure.
The Zimbabwean karatekas dominated several of the categories, including the Men and Women’s Open weight divisions.
Alfred Kaseke walked away with the top prize in the Men Open division and Tatenda Kambarami rose to the occasion in the women’s section.
Kambarami, competing in her first World Championship could not hide her joy after beating her opponents from Zambia and Russia to the world title.
“That was a World Championship and it was a big challenge considering there were several countries there.
“I was nervous going into the tournament because it was my first World Championship. Of course, I have been to other events but this was different.
“However, in the end I just had believe in myself and the work we had put in during training in preparation for this event, to say I can do it.
“Also, we had very supportive officials from our training sessions all the way to the tournament. We really worked hard for this tournament and they kept encouraging me, telling me I can win,” said Kambarami.
Simbarashe Khumba was not to be outdone, fighting his way to gold in the Men Under-80kg.
Interestingly it was a Zimbabwean affair in the final as he took on his compatriot Robert Mashingaidze.
But Khumba proved to be the best fighter of the day to earn the title, and he said the competition was not that tough.
“The competition was okay. It was not that tough.In my first fight I was a bit scared but after some seconds I was calm and everything just went well.
“I actually gained confidence and I could see the possibilities of winning and moving forward to the next round,” said Khumba.
The 25-year-old, who is trained by Samson Muripo, admits the former world champion is his inspiration.
“As I was growing up, my inspiration was Shihan Samson Muripo because I knew him since I was young.
It was the same story in the Men Under-70kg with Tafadzwa Mutize overpowering fellow countryman Elvis Chikono in the final.
The other gold medals came from Tendai Chikohomera in the Girls Under-16 and Alicia Mufundisi in the Girls 16 to 17 years category.
Takunda Mukumba was crowned champion in the Boys Under-17.
The tournament attracted participants from Malawi, Namibia, Tanzania, South Africa, Tunisia, Russia, Rwanda, Poland, United Kingdom, Spain and Zimbabwe joined the hosts, Zambia.
ZKU are now looking at wrapping up the year with two local tournaments.
Results:
Girls Under-16
Tendai Chikohomera – Gold
Heizel Maupa – Silver
Boys Under-17
Takunda Mukumba – Gold
Girls 16-17 years
Alicia Mufundisi – Gold
Women’s Lightweight
Flory Chandavengerwa – Silver
Natasha Chitumba – Bronze
Men Under-60kg
Byron Manyere – Silver
Women’s Open
Tatenda Kambarami – Gold
Men Under 70kg
Tafadzwa B Mutize – Gold
Elvis Chikono – Silver
Men Under-80kg
Simbarashe Khumba – Gold
Robert Mashingaidze – Silver
Men Open
Alfred Kaseke – Gold
Veterans
Peter Magumura – Bronze
