Kuz to host awards

and junior karatekas who did well in 2011 being awarded for their efforts and they will be vying for the top prizes in 10 categories.
In the senior’s category Clemence Kampila, Austin Mucheni and Tendai Chaparadza will be battling it out for the best local karateka while Kelly Mtisi and Mucheni will fight for honours in the senior regional karateka award.

The race for the best international karateka will feature Samson Muripo, Lovemore Nyamutswa, Malvery Muyambo and George Mutambu. All the nominees in this category took part in the World Cup held in Kazakhstan last year.
However, Muripo comes in as the favourite to win the top prize after he won a silver medal at the event while Mutambu and Nyamutswa reached the quarter-finals and Muyambo was eliminated in the first round at the same competition.

Nyamutswa is also vying for the most disciplined award together with Clemence Kampila.
Simba Musema, Hope Simba and Tendai Chaparadza will be vying for the most technical karateka. The most improved category will feature Pumulani Maphosa, Tinashe Matsika and Tawanda Chimbade.
Highfield, Glen View 1 and Mas Oyama will battle it out for the best dojo award while Kumbirai Musinami, Muripo and Muchineripi Tarwireyi will be vying for the instructor of the year award.

Manson Mnaba is the sole nominee for the Zimbabwe kyokushin karate icon award.
In the juniors category the race for the best local karateka will feature Marshall Siyamatanda, Tinashe Matika and Tawanda Chimbade.

KUZ technical director, Samson Muripo, said the awards are a source of inspiration to the fighters to do well whenever they compete a competitive completion. However, the KUZ technical director could not reveal the cash prize for the winners.

“Firstly the awards are improving the standard of living of the karatekas because they get some financial prizes. It’s also a challenge to other karatekas to emulate what other karatekas would have done to do well.
“There are trophies for the winners, however, the money prize will be unveiled on the day of the event,” said Muripo.

The union is also set to hold a grading ceremony for the brown and black belt students on the same day and will be graced by South Africa’s Shihan Bas van Stenis.
They will then hold their first senior national tournament on Saturday and South African Karatekas are expected to take part in the event.