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Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
TEN-year-old Zimbabwean karateka Raphael Mukondiwa raised the country’s flag high at the Botswana Open Karate Championships held on Saturday.
The event, organised by the Botswana Hayashi Ha, was also graced by the Under-16 World Champion Tanel Taabo from Estonia.
Six countries, South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Estonia and hosts Botswana, took part in the championship where Zimbabwe’s youngest black belt holder Raphael rose to the occasion to claim gold in the 10-year-olds Kata category.
His mother Ntombizodwa Mazhandu-Shonhai, who accompanied him to the championship, said the sky can only be the limit for her son.
“I’m so happy for my little boy. He has indeed made me and the country proud by his achievement,” said Mazhandu-Shonhai.
She said Raphael, an Avondale Primary School learner in Harare, began karate as a six-year-old and at eight, he was one of the three nominees for the Junior Sportsperson of the Year in the Sports and Recreation Commission-run Annual National Sports Awards where he eventually got a bronze medal.
According to Botswana media, the toast of the championship was the under 60kg champion Thabang Setshego with his closest rival Raffeal Reid.
The two arch-rivals had a rocky path to the finals, with Reid having to convince the judges in a semi-final bout against seasoned Zimbabwean champion Winston Nyanhete and Joseph Molodi.
Setshego clawed his way to the finals with a slim margin against veteran karatekas China Metswi and Zimbabwean Dean Ramsey.
Online Reporter