Online Reporter
Ellina Mhlanga
Zimpapers Sports Hub
AFTER a successful outing over the weekend, martial artist Wilfred Mashaya is shifting his focus to the ICO World Championships due to take place next month in the United Kingdom
Mashaya was over the weekend honoured with the Weapon Champion of the Year award at the World Humanitarian Martial Arts Festival and seminar in Budva, Montenegro.
He also received the Ninja Award and Special Martial Arts Friendship Award from other European grand masters, from Poland and Portugal respectively.
The accolades recognise Mashaya’s contribution to the world of martial arts, particularly his mastery of the traditional Okinawan art of Kobudo.
Mashaya said his next stop is the ICO World Championship scheduled for October 15 to 20.
He is hoping to take a 20-member team with him for the event.
“It is actually something that is motivating me as I am facing the ICO World Championships next month in the UK.
“I am going to take a team of about 20. I have got eight children – four girls and four boys – and also adults. We have got three women and the remainder are men.
“If we manage to get sponsorship we hope to go there and make our nation proud and the team is training very hard.”
The festival was held under the theme “Stop Suicide” to mark World Suicide Prevention Day.
“I have learned that as a society, we have a duty to make sure that we deal with mental issues that are affecting a lot of people, especially the youth.
“So, it’s an issue of being there for each other, showing kindness and love and also giving each other a shoulder to lean on and an ear to those in need.
“We learnt that it’s good also to include sport and to encourage people to engage in sports as a way of find ingstrength, comfort, and hope through sport. And they interact through sport,” Mashaya said.
The team has been training together under the Zim Ninja Academy for some time, for the upcoming championships.
“We have been training for so many months now so that we go there and showcase our talent.
“Go there and show that in Zimbabwe we are also good or doing our best when it comes to weaponry martial arts kobudo, which are the categories that we are going to compete in.
“So, we are hopeful that we are going to do our best if we get enough support,” said Mashaya.
