Online Reporter
Innocent Kurira, [email protected]
PREPARATIONS for the Panthers Academy International Taekwondo Tournament are gathering momentum, with organisers working to ensure the two-day event becomes more than just a sporting competition when athletes from across Africa converge on Bulawayo later this month.
The tournament, scheduled for September 26-27 at the Large City Hall, is expected to attract competitors from elements countries, offering the City of Kings an opportunity to showcase its sporting culture and hospitality on a continental stage.
Zimbabwe will be joined by Botswana, Mozambique, Tanzania, Lesotho, Eswatini, Kenya, Nigeria, Namibia, Malawi and Angola at the event, which is being held to mark Panthers Academy’s 19th anniversary.
However, organisers are determined to broaden the event’s appeal, with a series of activities lined up ahead of the taekwondo competition.
A mini boxing tournament and an aerobics session are among the activities planned, with Panthers
Academy director Vusumuzi Ncube saying the initiative is designed to provide entertainment while bringing together different sporting disciplines and sections of the Bulawayo community.
The inclusion of boxing and aerobics also forms part of the academy’s wider vision of creating an event that celebrates culture through sport rather than focusing solely on competition on the taekwondo mats.
Ncube said preparations were progressing well and expressed the academy’s desire to establish the Large City Hall as the permanent home of the tournament.
“We want the Large City Hall to be our home every year. We want to bring culture into sport and bring the Bulawayo community together,” said Ncube.
The decision to incorporate other sporting activities is expected to enhance the spectator experience while creating opportunities for athletes from different disciplines to interact and share experiences.
For a city with a rich sporting heritage, organisers believe the tournament has the potential to become a permanent fixture on Bulawayo’s annual sporting calendar and contribute to the city’s growing sports tourism ambitions.
The arrival of athletes, coaches, officials and supporters from across Africa is expected to boost activity in the hospitality and service sectors while exposing visiting participants to Bulawayo’s cultural heritage.
Ncube said the academy was committed to building an event that would continue to grow beyond this year’s edition.
“This tournament is not only about competing for medals but also about building friendships, sharing cultures and giving our young athletes exposure to different styles of taekwondo,” he said.
With preparations now entering a critical phase, focus is increasingly shifting to the final logistical arrangements ahead of the continental gathering.
The tournament is expected to provide local athletes with a valuable opportunity to test themselves against competitors from across Africa, while giving younger fighters exposure to international competition. For Panthers Academy, however, the ambition extends beyond producing champions.
The academy wants the tournament to evolve into a celebration of sport, culture and community, with the Large City Hall providing the backdrop for an event that could become a permanent feature of Bulawayo’s sporting calendar.
