Zimpapers Logo

Samson Muripo

Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
FORMER world champion Samson Muripo consolidated his status as one of the best karatekas to emerge from this country after he successfully went through a technical dan promotion to fifth dan in India on Tuesday to become a Shihan.

A Shihan (or master) is a Japanese term that is used in many Japanese martial arts as an honorific title for expert or senior instructors. It can be translated as “master instructor”. The use of the term is specific to a school or organisation, as is the process of becoming a Shihan.

Muripo’s last grading was in 2012 and on Tuesday he proved he is not yet done, going through the gruelling process that included a 50-man fighting test and individual technical assessment.

The grading was conducted by IKO World So-kyokushin president, Hanshi Oishi Daigo, during the Kyokushin International Training Camp in Kolkata. The former world champion attributed his achievement to hard work and dedication as he continues to set the bar high on the local karate scene.

“I love training, I love kyokushin karate. The pain is temporary but honour is eternal. What I invested during my preparation was enough to sail me through the fires of the technical dan promotion.

“It was like hell, especially performing the last three katas alone in the presence of the So-Kyokushin karate ‘lord’ Oishi Daigo Hanshi. “I had to send back that heat unto my opponents in the last phase of the technical dan promotion, the 50-man fighting test. “It is very difficult to please Hanshi, his standard is too much in that regard (kata),” Muripo said.

Being the Zimbabwe So-kyokushin Karate Do Organisation branch chief and Africa development officer for World So-kyokushin, his latest achievement means more responsibilities as he is expected to lead in the development and growth of the sport.

Muripo paid tribute to various individuals who assisted in making his trip to India possible, including Manson Mnaba, who has been supporting him for quite some time now, including when he was crowned the World Champion in 2009.

The likes of David Gamanya, George Maposa, Tapiwa Mukwashi, Tinotenda Makava and football agent Kudzi Shaba — who is also a karateka and a close friend of Muripo — weighed in with financial and moral support. Zimbabwe Karate Union technical director (full contact), Kumbirai Musinami, could not hide his joy.

“This is another milestone achievement and he has actually made history by becoming the first Shihan for So-kyokushin in Africa. It’s a great achievement and it has elevated our country and our style as well.

“Now, becoming a Shihan it means most of his tasks are now more developmental within Africa. “As Africa’s representative of So-Kyokushin now he has the responsibility to make sure the style grows in the region and Africa, starting from Zimbabwe spreading to the region and Africa.

“He will also be needing assistance but I have no doubt he can make it. Now he can actually do the technical grading up to third dan by himself, fourth dan he will need to be assisted,” said Musinami.

The ZKU technical director was full of praise for Muripo describing him as someone who has always been exceptional.

“Samson Muripo is very unique I would say. He is a very lovely person, if you look at how he helps people develop in karate, he has such a big heart. “His love for the sport is amazing he sometimes sacrifices his own resources for the development of the sport. “When you work with him you should expect to work beyond your limit, even the Grandmasters themselves admitted his work rate is big.

‘’He is also very focused, very critical when it comes to mapping our way forward, where we want to go and what we want to achieve. Actually he is a great leader for the sport, with him we are poised to achieve greater things,” said Musinami.

Posting on their Facebook page, Zimbabwe So-Kyokushin Karate welcomed the development, congratulating Muripo on his success.