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Takudzwa Chitsiga
Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE International Taekwondo Academy managed to bring home a silver medal after amassing 37 medals at the inaugural ACE Taekwondo Championship over the weekend.
Zvipozvashe Makanga was outstanding as she won gold medals in both sparring and patterns which earned herself the Best Female Leopard award.
The team was part of 17 clubs from three nations namely Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe, which saw the host winning the gold medal at Boskruin Community Centre in Randburg, South Africa.
Zimbabwe was represented by a strong 23-member team in the tournament who brought home eight gold, 15 silver and 14 bronze medals.
International Taekwondo Academy was part of over 160 athletes who battled it out for medals in a tournament that was open to all Chang Hon Style taekwondo practitioners.
The tournament saw athletes from Leopards, Seniors and juniors’ categories taking part.
Fifth Dan instructor Sabum Evan Brown, the team coach, said they are happy to have managed to attend an international tournament after a long time.
“We are happy that we managed to take part in the inaugural ACE tournament after several years and winning 37 medals. We were outstanding in both sparring and patterns.
“Most of our athletes managed to win and it was Makanga who was outstanding after she won the Best Female Leopard Award.
“I am pleased to say that the bulk of the team were ladies as we always advocate for the independent 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.
“We had four parents who joined the team to support the kids, after their first session they wanted to quit but, their children would not allow that to happen, so they pushed, and guess what, they also brought back medals,” said Brown.
ACE Taekwondo Results
Leopards
Zvipozvashe Makanga — gold both sparring and patterns
*(She won an award for Best Female Leopard)
Zvinashe Makanga — gold both sparring and pattern
Jordan Brown — gold for sparring and silver for patterns
Maluwa Ngwira — silver sparring and silver patterns
Peyton Semu — bronze patterns and silver sparring
Amika Scott — bronze both patterns and sparring
Rufaro Guvi — silver both patterns and sparring
Siyabonga Moyo — bronze patterns
Joshua Boka — bronze patterns
Leandri Scott — bronze patterns and silver sparring
Danielle Chatendeuka — silver patterns
Chloe Semu — bronze both patterns and sparring
Dalvin Brown — bronze sparring
Kondwani Ngwira — bronze patterns and silver sparring
Danissa Chatendeuka — silver patterns and bronze sparring
Dzinashe Mungwadzi — bronze sparring
Benjamin Kusotera — bronze for patterns
Juniors
Denise Chatendeuka — silver both patterns and sparring
Adults
Fungai Gwata — silver patterns and gold sparring
Geraldine Chatendeuka — gold patterns and silver sparring
Chishuvo Makanga — gold sparring
Nkosinomusa R Sithole — bronze patterns and silver sparring
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter