adminChampionships in Cape Town, South Africa, in October.
The 9th Len Barnes International Memorial Karate Championships will be staged at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology on October 22 and Zimbabwe have been invited to join a number of other African countries at this annual event.
The tournament will cater for a number weight divisions for both male and female karatekas who practice the karate style of kyokushin.
And the local Branch Chief of kyokushin, Tendai Marange, said they were looking at sending a strong team of 12 fighters who will represent Zimbabwe at this event.
“We are looking at sending a 12-member team, which will include two female and two junior fighters, for this big international kyokushin event.
“According to the event’s organisers, there will be three weight categories for the seniors – Under-70kg, Under-80kg and over 80kg. So, we are hoping to field fighters in all these weight categories at this event and we are already in the process of identifying and training athletes that will travel to Cape Town for the competition. In fact, we have already started our preparations for these championships at Body Fitness Centre in Harare and we are inviting other karatekas who practice kyokushin to join us if they are willing to be part of the team for Cape Town,” Marange said.
The dreadlocked seasoned kyokushin instructor said they were looking at raising R32 000 for the team’s travel and accommodation expenses for the Cape Town competition.
Meanwhile, one of the country’s top kyokushin fighters Tawanda Mufundisi has been “expelled from the style” for misconduct. Marange said they recently decided to “kick Mufundisi out of the style” for “gross misconduct” and he was free to join any other style of his choice.
Mufundisi was part of the Zimbabwe team that took part in last year’s Len Barnes tournament in Cape Town where he won a gold medal in the middleweight category. Another top local kyokushin fighter Sydney Veremu won a silver medal in the lightweight division while his wife Anna walked away with a gold medal in the women’s Open section.
But Marange said Mufundisi will not be defending his title at this year’s tournament following his suspension from the style.
Marange also sent his condolences to the Manjoro family following the death of their father Stephen at the weekend.
Stephen Manjoro, the father of Shihan Jairos Manjoro who is the Chief Instructor of the bino-ryu style in Zimbabwe, died at his home in Mufakose on Saturday at the age of 81 following a heart failure.
He was buried yesterday at Granville Cemetery (Kumbudzi) in Harare.
Scores of local karatekas were yesterday joined by a number of instructors at Granville Cemetery for the burial of Stephen Manjoro.
Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu