adminEllina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Kickboxing Association will step up their preparations for the World Championships set to start next week when they hold a tournament in Beitbridge today. The tournament will see 16 participants including the five kickboxers to represent the nation in Turkey — Brighton Tangata, Terrence Munemo, Tafadzwa Muropa, Absolom Chiturumane and Isaac Marara.
The championships are set for Turkey and will run from November 28 to December 8.
Zimbabwe qualified for the global event in June when the pair of Brighton Tangata and Terrence Munemo finished in the top three in an international tournament held in Gabon.
The tournament was used as a qualifier for the World Championships and Zimbabwe booked their place when Tangata and Munemo won bronze medals in their respective weight divisions.
Zika technical director Ngonidzashe Manda said the tournament was part of their final preparations for the World Championships.
“The tournament is on tomorrow, we selected 16 fighters from Harare and Beitbridge. We are using this competition to polish up our fighters for the World Championships.
“We are trying to finalise our team and this is part of our preparations. When you compete in events such as the world championships you need to have your best team.
“We want a team that will bring results.
“We are also trying to raise money for the team’s trip, we did the same thing in Harare but we did not get much, however, I am hoping that it’s going to be different here. In terms of preparing technically we are ready,” said Manda.
National lightweight champion Tangata said he is looking forward to the championships. “I have been training and everything has been going on well. I am happy I managed to lose some weight, so I am not going to have problems when I go for the championships because I will be competing in my actual weight category.
“We are going for another tournament in Beitbridge, if I get a good opponent I will take part because the problem is we do not have many professional boxers so it will depend with the fighters that would have come.”
The team is expected to leave early next week for the Word Championships and they need US$10 000 to cater for the travelling delegation.
Online Reporter