adminMutero of Pumula’s Isilwane Youth Centre was part of the seven Zimbabwean fighters who attended a three-month training workshop at the Beijing Shaolin Wushu School from 12 September to 10 December 2011, which the Chinese Embassy facilitated.
Mutero and Dereck Jere won gold medals and a trophy after participating in the sanda division — actual fighting — at the China-Africa Wushu Championships.
The other Zimbabweans — Enerst Jokoma, Kudzai Dodo, Charles Zvoma, Gloria Kandiye and Praise Smith — bowed out in the preliminaries of taolu — routines.
“We learnt a lot in the three months that we spent in China and the challenge now is to educate people on the sport of wushu and hope to get more participants. Very few people practise martial arts these days but after the training we got in China, I am confident that the sport can be resuscitated.
“The first port of call will be doing demonstrations at schools and as it is we have been busy talking with school heads so that we get dates to showcase the sport. Some people associate martial arts with fighting but the good thing about the sport is that just like boxing, it teaches you to be disciplined as well as to have a sharp mind,” Mutero said.
Apart from Pumula’s Isilwane, wushu lessons are also conducted in Mabutweni.
Mutero said once they establish more clubs in the city, they would organise competitions.
“We haven’t had tournaments in Bulawayo. What we have been doing is just training. Wellington Chirwa who I train with in Pumula is the one who is in charge of the Mabutweni proceedings. If we succeed in establishing more wushu centres, we will have big tournaments. As it is, I think we will have competitions between the two clubs Pumula and Mabutweni soon,” said Mutero.
Online Reporter