Online Reporter
Takudzwa Chitsiga
Zimpapers Sports Hub
AFTER successfully bringing home 37 medals during last year’s inaugural ACE Taekwondo Championship, Zimbabwe International Taekwondo Academy are preparing for another potentially fruitful trip at Boskruin Community Centre in Randburg, South Africa, this weekend.
The athletes have been stepping up their act while in camp at Twin Rivers Primary School in Harare, with more than 20 competitors expected to take part in both patterns and style. They will compete alongside over 160 athletes in a tournament open to all Chang Hon Style taekwondo practitioners.
Zimbabwe will be part of more than 15 clubs from three nations, namely Mozambique and host nation South Africa.
The tournament will see athletes from the Leopards, Seniors and Juniors categories taking part. Fifth Dan instructor Sabum Evan Brown, the team coach, said they are looking forward to attending an international tournament after a long time.
“We are excited to participate in our second international tournament after we did well at last year’s tournament, where we brought home several medals. We are hopeful of representing Zimbabwe well,” Brown said. “Our athletes will compete in various weight categories, and they have been training intensively in preparation for this event,” added Brown. The Zimbabwe squad underwent three months of rigorous training under fifth Dan instructor Evan Brown during the camp at Twin Rivers Primary School. A send-off ceremony for the young athletes has been arranged for tomorrow at Arundel Primary.
“We have been preparing diligently for the past three months, and everyone is eager to compete,” Brown added. “Our training has been intense, and we are optimistic about our chances at the tournament.”
“We are confident that the athletes will do well in both sparring styles and patterns.
“Most of our athletes managed to win medals last year, with one of our own, Makanakaishe Makanga, winning the Best Female Leopard Award.
“I am pleased to say that the bulk of the team were ladies, as we always advocate for the independence of a girl child. Taekwondo knows no gender, at our club, girls train together with their male counterparts and they are doing very well. Just to have a girl child getting one of the best awards is just a motivator,” said Brown.
