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TO THE FUTURE . . . Board of trustees members Prosper Chibaya (front) and Charles Manyuchi congratulate the eight boxers who have been roped into the Charles Manyuchi Sports Academy in Harare. — Picture by Kudakwashe Hunda.

Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Boxing Federation technical director Steven Masiyambumbi has spoken highly of the sports development initiative by boxing superstar Charles Manyuchi who launched his Sports Academy on Wednesday in Harare.

The academy is focusing on various sport disciplines including boxing. The project takes off with eight athletes, all boxers, who signed contracts on the day of the launch. Masiyambumbi who is the director for boxing at the academy said the establishment of the academy which is meant to identify and groom athletes is a positive development especially for boxing.

“What I can say is that it has come at the right time where we are saying we have recruited eight boxers from different provinces. And it’s a good opportunity for these boxers where we are saying starting from next year we are going to expose these boxers to international tournaments.

“This is the first of its kind we have never had such an academy in Zimbabwe. This is what we were craving for. So that’s why I am saying this has come at the right time where we are saying at last or at least boxing is going to be seen as one of the biggest sports in Zimbabwe,” said Masiyambumbi.

The eight boxers who made it into the academy were selected at various national competitions held this year by the ZBF such as the National Championships and Champion of Champions. And they are coming from different provinces.

Some of them have represented the country in regional tournaments with the pair of Caroline Dube and Brendon Denes picking gold medals at the Zone IV Championships in Angola this year while Mellisa Matanhire was voted the best boxer at the same competition.

The other five are Aliyah Phiri and Hassan Milanzi who are hopefuls for the Youth Olympic Games qualification next year in Argentina, Evans Husavihwevhu, Future Maliya and Tinashe Majoni.

“So these boxers that we have in this academy, we want to take them to the highest level. We have the All-Africa Games (African Games) and Olympics ahead of us. And also next year we are targeting the Youth Olympics, which will be hosted in Argentina,” said Masiyambumbi.

With construction work underway at the academy based in Chivhu, the boxers will remain with their clubs in their respective provinces while the academy will facilitate and support the athletes’ development and participation in international events. Dube, who is one of the two female boxers engaged by the academy said this is a life-changing opportunity.

“Actually this means a new beginning in my life and I am grateful for what Charles has done because most of the time we have challenges when we are at our boxing clubs.

“At least now we are going to get equipment and facilities we need for boxing, even financially like when we are travelling everything will be catered for. So actually it’s like an elevation to another level,” said Dube.

Denes from Mashava said it’s a chance for him to pursue his ambition to be a professional boxer.

“It’s good for our future and I am looking forward to turn professional when I am done with my amateur. I am looking forward that we are going to work together in the academy with Manyuchi. He is going to groom us, he is going to take us far and mould us in such a way that we are going to be future World Boxing champions,” said Denes.

Some of the partners that are on board for this project include Manyuchi’s principal sponsor MR T35, Chikomba Rural District Council, Primaview Town Planners and Phil-Jen Country Lodge.