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Takudzwa Chitsiga
Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE National Karate Federation coach Winston Nyanhete is hopeful that his team of female Karatekas will represent the country well at the Gaborone Open International Karate Championships to be held at Botho University in Botswana.
The four-day event, which runs from this Thursday to next Monday, will see karatekas from South Africa, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique and the hosts Botswana taking part.
Zimbabwe will be represented by over 10 female Karatekas that includes junior national team players in Ruvarashe Kasumba, Rufaro Matanhire, Brenda Dube and Leona Munyaradzi.
The karatekas held intensive training under Nyanhete for the past three months.
Although four of the team members are already in the junior national team, the majority of the girls will be keen to impress in their bid to be considered to be part of the team that will represent the country at the African Union Sports Council Region Five Karate Championships scheduled for next month in Bulawayo.
And Sensei Nyanhete believes that championships will provide his athletes with the much needed international exposure which will help them to develop into top athletes for the country.
“I’m very happy with the way girls are responding to training and their commitment. They are showing the hunger to go out there and win.
“It’s very important to be working with a team that has the desire to win and I’m sure with all the hard work they have put in for the past months, they will perform well.
“I believe these girls have all the qualities that we need for them to represent the nation.
“As we also prepare to host the upcoming African junior champs, this competition will help our karatekas to gain the experience and skills from the top athletes that they will be facing at this event.
“I’m sure if they continue like this they will become top athletes for the country,” said Nyanhete.
Team vice-captain Rufaro Matanhire expressed confidence that her charges have all it takes to bring home some accolades.
“Our preparations have been very tense and hectic. We are very confident that we can go there and win some medals for our country.
“It’s not easy to be fighting at an international stage but we will do our best not to disappoint. We are very grateful to our coach, parents and our school for providing us with the training facilities and all the necessary resources to ensure that we had adequate preparations for this tournament.
“We promise to do our best and ensure that we raise our flag high. It is our dream that we will come home victorious,” said Matanhire.
Online Reporter